Through out the film A City of Sadness we see images of the traditional arts such as the Peking Opera and classical Chinese music as well as rituals such as funerals and weddings. Homes often have shrines with ritually prepared food. These ritual activities are celebrated in Confucian philosophy as a way to humanize and sensitize those who practice them. In short, culture can make people better. Yet what is the film saying about these ritualistic activities? Sometimes these are contrasted with other pursuit such as photography and gambling. Sometimes the arts are shown under direct threat as when Wen-heung (the oldest brother) breaks an erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument. Are the arts and Chinese culture under threat? What is the relationship between the modern world and tradition? Is Confucius right about the potential for the arts to civilize and make us better?
The portrayal of traditional arts, rituals, and cultural practices carries complex and contrasting messages about their role in an evolving society. The film presents a nuanced exploration of the intersection between tradition and the modern world.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film, traditional art forms like the Peking Opera and classical Chinese music, as well as rituals like funerals and weddings, are depicted as key components of Chinese culture. These activities are celebrated in Confucian philosophy for their potential to humanize and sensitize those who partake in them. They are seen to preserve and transmit cultural heritage, encouraging a sense of identity and belonging.
However, the film also contrasts these traditional practices with more modern interests like photography and gambling. This clash suggests a tension between tradition and modernity. The arts are not only shown as under attack by Wen-heung but are also depicted as being at odds with the changing times. When Wen-heung breaks an erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument, it symbolizes the disruption and challenges traditional culture faces.
The relationship between the modern world and tradition is very complex. As society modernizes, traditional values and practices are often threatened. This is particularly evident in urban settings where western influences and technological advancements can displace or dilute traditional customs and art forms.
However, Confucius' belief in the potential of the arts to civilize and improve individuals is a recurring theme in the film. The contrasting images of characters engaging in traditional practices and those indulging in more western pursuits like gambling or photography reflect the tension between the Confucian ideal and the appeal of modern ideas, which can result in instant gratification or irritation.
In A City of Sadness, Taiwanese tradition brings light. The customs are a form of comfort, but they’re never extravagant or made a big deal of. The surrounding political turmoil in just a four-year period makes every taste of daily activity stripped-down and barebones. It’s still enough, though, to make light.
ReplyDeleteThe set design of this film is carefully built to create the maximum possible juxtaposition between darkness and light. The uncertainty of Shanghai mob activity and martial rule of Taiwan is the darkness that surrounds every dimly lit room, every prison and hospital hallway painted in the film’s usual drab brownish-green. In every scene of unrest, though, there’s a central source of light in every frame.
The light is the name of the newborn child in the opening scene, who was named with such optimism in spite of no one knowing what would happen next. The light is the flimsy, dangling overhead bulb that hangs over every dinner table scene, the raucous get-togethers where the men who used to dominate the conversation disappear one-by-one. Through it all, something must be holding together the familial hierarchy even as the actual people depart.
Light goes hand-in-hand with a lack thereof and softens the pain. It’s the funeral scene amongst the end, with all the attendees in a small circle, huddled against the gloomy, foggy horizon of 1940s Taiwan. Nothing about the panic caused by the Shanghainese mafia can break their vow to honor Wen-hsiung’s passing. It’s the child Hiromi clutches in her arms in her dimly lit home, as she silently reads a letter and breaks down crying, learning of Wen-ching’s arrest. She holds onto hope as she’s forced to grapple with the metaphorical night; her and both families will need to balance both in their lives if they’re to survive what’s to come.
In A City of Sadness, Rituals and tradition are some of the most crucial plot points. They are used throughout the movie as symbols of hope and are used to set the mood for the movie as a whole. Overall, The film has a dark feel, showing violence and betrayal. Rituals, however, are used as a beaker of hope in these dark times, as shown in multiple scenes such as the wedding, the music, and the birth of children. The film starts with the birth at the end of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, with the child symbolizing hope and fittingly being named “light.” However, this light quickly flickers out as many unfortunate events unfold. As the family starts to unravel, characters and, more specifically, the eldest brother start to stray away from tradition. In Confucianism, traditions are some of the most important aspects of a person's life as they keep one human. The first sign of the brother straying away from tradition was when he drank out of the teapot. This may seem insignificant, but as the film progresses, it is clear this is the beginning of the end for him. After more misfortune falls upon the family, for instance, the middle brother becomes mentally impaired after a severe beating from a rival gang, and more and more rituals start to be broken. Characters are seen gambling more; the final straw is the eldest brother breaking Erhu out of frustration. Shortly after this, the brother's short temper leads to his death after being murdered by rival gang members. Overall, A City of Sadness is a film that uses Chinese tradition to set tones and themes throughout the movie.
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