Week 3 – Technical Issues -> Analyzing Sources

Intro

This week for my senior project, the initial plan this week was to use the film The Battle at Lake Changjin, which is a popular propaganda film released recently, followed by a sequel. Though since I was not able to watch the film in full because of a variety of issues that can be grouped under “technical issues”, I will just be reading through and analyzing sources in preparation for my final paper.

An incomplete watch:

But first for the bits I was able to watch, there was also commentary which came with the film from the online audience, popping up on the screen as you watch. This commentary includes patriotic messages such as “proud of my country”, and along the lines of (if translated directly (and badly)) : “Strong homeland”, “Very shaken and emotional”. This demonstrates clear patriotism the film has inspired. In comparison to a documentary which was meant to illustrate the positive change Xi Jinping’s presidency has brought to the country, the reception of the glorification of one’s country has improved. The documentary’s name itself embodies its nature as a propaganda: “Amazing China”. The comments for the film were turned off on all platforms, from Youtube to Douban (the Letterboxd of China). Yet within a few years, the reception of a similar type of propaganda has improved massively, and it exemplifies the shift within the attitude towards and the branding of propaganda films that has occurred in China.

Some sources:

This has also been discussed in several papers. In the paper “The Ideological Campaign in Xi’s China”. Zhao mentions Xi’s need to rebrand his own image, as a part of his plan for the “a great national rejuvenation for China”. After Mao, it seems the insertion of the communist ideology in everyday life has quieted, resulting in a lack of the shared faith in communism, and with many even turning to democratic ideals. This has been discussed by others such as in the article “Propaganda and Censorship: Adapting to the Modern Age”, Ma mentions the need for a larger amount of censorship as a result of modern technology. With the inability to access sites such as Google, or Youtube and many other banned sites, the Chinese government attempts at censoring the information source. However as Ma mentions, those who want to, are able to use things such as VPNs to override these bans. However it does demonstrate recent efforts to alter and strengthen the Communist narrative since the Mao era. Several sources mention the power of propaganda during Mao’s rule, and Xi’s recent attempts in establishing a similar ideological rule. For next week, since I will still be unable to watch the necessary films, I will continue to look for and analyze sources and existing scholarship. The week after that, I will be back to California and continue the films.

Citation

1. Chen, Tina Mai. “Propagating The Propaganda Film: The Meaning Of Film In Chinese Communist Party Writings, 1949-1965.” Modern Chinese Literature And Culture, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2003, Pp. 154–93. JSTOR, Http://Www.Jstor.Org/Stable/41490907. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.
2. Weakland, John H. “Themes In Chinese Communist Films.” American Anthropologist, Vol. 68, No. 2, 1966, Pp. 477–84. JSTOR, Http://Www.Jstor.Org/Stable/669350. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023
3. Ma, Veronica. “Propaganda And Censorship: Adapting To The Modern Age.” Harvard International Review, Vol. 37, No. 2, 2016, Pp. 46–50. JSTOR, Http://Www.Jstor.Org/Stable/26445580. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.
4. ZHAO, SUISHENG. “The Ideological Campaign In Xi’s China: Rebuilding Regime Legitimacy.” Asian Survey, Vol. 56, No. 6, 2016, Pp. 1168–93. JSTOR, Https://Www.Jstor.Org/Stable/26364408. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.