‘From behind the wall’ The representation of gender and sexuality in modern chinese film1

Abstract

Issues associated with gender and sexuality are always problematic in the Chinese context, and their filmic representation is even more complicated. Just as the concept of sexuality was rarely straightforwardly elaborated in Chinese cinema, Chinese women were continuously stereotyped into conventional images. The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 saw some changes in the first instance, but conventions persisted. Though the new regime energetically advocated the cultural and social policy of gender equality, sexuality as a subject was thoroughly prohibited, especially during the Cultural Revolution years. More substantial changes did not start to happen until the 1980s. In the new political, economic, social and cultural context, the representation of gender and sexuality became a conspicuous phenomenon on China's cinema screens. Quite a number of films, especially those focusing on contemporary youth life, explored the once forbidden area. Despite this consciousness and some related efforts, the overall picture remained semi‐veiled. With heavy burdens of tradition on their backs, Chinese filmmakers are being squeezed between modern concepts and traditional restrictions.