Traditional Culture in Chinese Movies: The Case of Movies Shot in Huizhou

Movies are often viewed as important tools to promote cultural communication. Many international moviegoers and researchers endorse Chinese movies as authentic representation of traditional Chinese history and culture. However, in this era of commercialism, movies are often produced as commercial products to win the maximum profits at global market; thus, the history and culture in Chinese movies are often reshaped and reconfigured to meet the taste of foreign moviegoers. This paper uses Judou (1990), Inkstone Bed (1995) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), three movies shot in Huizhou, a land known for its profound traditional culture, as a case study to explore how and why traditional culture is reshaped and reconfigured. The results show that those three movies diverge from traditional culture in one way or another. The distortion or stigmatization of Huizhou culture in Judou and Inkstone Bed caters to global audience’s preconceived notion of a corrupted and chaotic “ancient China.” Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon transcends local settings to address cross-cultural and multinational themes. With a diversity of cultural elements hybridized and well-attuned, it sets a good example for Chinese movies to win global recognition and commercial success worldwide.