"Kung Fu Panda" is a scholar whose cultural symbols: the panda is China's

"Kung Fu Panda": Who cultural symbols

Author: Dan Yun Gong

● Panda symbol of Chinese culture has always been, and will not be Hollywood production, it becomes the American symbol. As the iPhone will not be manufactured in China, as Chinese brands become.

● Moderator: reporter Dan Yun Gong

● Guests: Ishikawa (Shanghai University)

Liberation point: being aggressively film "Kung Fu Panda 2" received a lot of praise at the same time, once again being criticized by some as a "cultural invasion." You have to see how?

Ishikawa: According to those who say, "Kung Fu Panda" film series is the U.S. holding a Chinese bottled wine. But in the era of globalization, especially in the field of popular culture, this phenomenon is widespread, difficult to distinguish between what is American, what is China. "Kung Fu Panda," the production team itself is transnational in nature, including many ethnic Chinese, Asian, Latino, including the involvement of different cultural backgrounds. There are games to grab the first game buns, this action can not be non-Chinese design also, in many Hong Kong action films in the can see, Americans think of, because they do not have such a cultural experience. The era of globalization and cultural goods, have cross-regional, cross-cultural characteristics. Another example is "Harry Potter", "Lord of the Rings" type of movie, story ideas, investment, creative team, the natural and cultural landscapes from different countries and regions, the story content is also often multi-cultural and creative mix, you There I am, I have you. Difficult to re-use of traditional country, region, the concept of race to explain, especially not with the kind of dualistic thinking, you have to distinguish between this, or me.

Panda has always been the symbol of Chinese culture, and will not be Hollywood production, it becomes the American symbol. As i-Phone mobile phone will not be manufactured in China, as Chinese brands become.

Liberation point: Interestingly, the film is said to mediocre box office in the United States, wind assessment in general, think of us here, but added some more praise was rightly ringing. You wonder why there is such a contrast to it?

Ishikawa: Chinese people like this film because they saw themselves in the film. Martial arts, temples, markets, bamboo these visual elements, it is easy for people to identify with. They become a kind of American exotic. Thus the film's target market is not only the United States, is the world, especially Asia. Its production team to absorb a large number of ethnic Chinese, Asian participation, draw on their experience in oriental culture, refining the story and visual style of selling. This just confirms the power of Hollywood's global marketing strategy.

Now people dispute that, as a Chinese panda symbol of our own has always been relatively simple to use. Perhaps a little cute, a bit naive, to reflect traditional Chinese culture of harmony moderate personality. And "Kung Fu Panda" is for the panda to give a new culture, especially the kind of exaggerated comedy sense, completely subverted the traditional image of the panda. In the second episode in Bao solved the mystery of his own life experience, the story itself is about the shape of self-identity and recognition, both related to personal growth, struggle, courage, success of these modern values, but also includes family, father and son, mentoring elements of the traditional ethics of emotion, and even a little bit empty, quiet, Saint and King of Zen and Eastern philosophy. Despite these cultural and value proposition have different sources, but most can reach a consensus on a global scale. Different cultural backgrounds can be seen in the film are familiar with their own things, so what they need, go hand in hand. This is Hollywood, the essence of the world's cultural strategy, it is hard to say it is American-made, value is necessarily an American-style. Why do Chinese audiences like "Kung Fu Panda"? Because it brings joy to people.

Liberation point: Hollywood on the impact of the domestic cultural market does exist, some European countries to adopt certain cultural protection policy. Whether globalization will squeeze out the culture of living space, has been a controversial topic of discussion.

Ishikawa: it does exist. Global cultural exchange is not fair to the other, the strength of the points, the culture in a weak position to take protective measures is absolutely necessary. It had no problem, the problem is to mention cultural preservation, it is natural to think inward, as if only the denial of national culture and Hollywood is the home market protection. This is to protect the absolute. In fact, protection can not be simply equated with refusal, the focus is to enhance the strength of their own culture, which only in the open attitude and the environment can be achieved.

Such as the 1940s, shortly after the end of the war, the newspapers of that period, almost all of the movie ads are American films, made films advertising in some obscure corner. Really made life extremely difficult film, but overwhelmed by Hollywood has not made films, on the contrary, it climbed to a creative peak, left for future generations, "Spring River Flows East", "Myriads of Lights" and other classics . This shows that the growth of culture is not necessarily a bad thing external pressure, the growth is inseparable from cultural exchange, dialogue, competition, the game's atmosphere. Like streams, it is the steady stream of energy, but once still means death.

Liberation point: But the culture of foreign works, will indeed have touched our sense of values. Because of the aesthetic tastes of young people are hanging high, it is more and more of the growing disdain of domestic work. Open environment, how to better promote the growth of local culture?

Ishikawa: history, local culture and foreign culture, is always collide with each other updated relations. Such as the Han Dynasty, Buddhism came to China, was the transformation of local culture, forming a distinctive Chinese characteristics. Maijishan Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes, Dazu Rock Carvings of these treasures of Buddhist art, which is not a foreign culture and the integration of the product of local culture? Like the erhu, suona, dizi these instruments are not always passed from the outside, and eventually become a folk music material logo? The entry of foreign culture, not the local culture does not have an impact, but, in general, to enhance the strength of its local culture is a promotion. We should have enough cultural self-confidence.

Now there are a lot of young people year round to see Europe, Japan and South Korea films, they taste really improved, made films no longer meet the current level of creativity. They are just the local film market, the mainstream consumer groups. High level of audience, in turn, will inevitably raise the level of creative stimulation. From this perspective, their tastes change on the domestic film-making is not necessarily a bad thing. The question now is how to adapt our creative changes in this market.