On the Father Figures in Zhang Yimou’s Films: From Red Sorghum to Hero

Abstract

Since Zhang Yimou’s film Hero was released at the end of 2003, it has stirred up very strong controversy among audience and critics in China. The theme the film presents touches the core issue of the cultural identity of contemporary China; how to posit and treat a father figure. This issue is an important index for the ideology and value system of contemporary China. The presentation of the father figure and its change reveals the general trend and transition of contemporary culture and the value system in China. From Red Sorghum (1987), the first film ever directed by Zhang, to Hero, the father image has always been central and critical. Of course, the father is not only a father in terms of biology, but also in terms of authority. Regardless of whether they physically show up in a film, how the director views the father figure deeply affects the tone and narrative logic of a film. From Red Sorghum to Hero, Zhang Yimou’s position and judgement on the father figure changed dramatically. This article e amines this change in more detail.