The ‘Great Wall’ that crossed the ocean: Its rise and fall—A preliminary study of the history of Changcheng Film Company

Abstract

This paper traces the rise and fall of the Great Wall Film Company, a company that had its own unique philosophy of film production and exerted a great influence in the first years of Chinese cinema. Its authors have unearthed many primary archival materials related to the company. Adopting the perspective of the history of film companies and overseas Chinese studies, it undertakes a preliminary discussion of the establishment, development, and end of the Changcheng Film Company as well as its business philosophy and lessons. Finally, it puts forward some new explanations for the establishment of the ‘Changcheng School’.