Literature Review

The purpose of this ethnography study is to develop a great understanding of the representations of Chinese women in western movies. Therefore, I would like to find some resources to figure out the following problems: How do western people portray the Chinese women in their movies? Do the Chinese women characters perform in Chinese traditional thinking or in western style in the movies? What characteristics do Chinese women have in western movies?

According to the resources, I figure out that Chinese women in western movies have two main representations. One is that Chinese women are the exotic incarnation in western movies. Another is that Chinese women always play the week who are redeemed by western people. In the next part, I will use some resources to explain this two main representation of Chinese women in western movies.

Mark B., who is the author of Barbarism and Civilization in International Relations, argue that in any case, sex constitutes an important area of social ties. Impression of foreign country will become the impression of foreign women to the men (P.92). Similarly, Tuan, who writes Chinese Women's Cinema: Transnational Contexts, says that it is obvious that Chinese women become exotic incarnations for western man in most love movies (P.43). According to Philippa’s book, we can figure out that one of the most common modes of expression in western movie is interpreted that the West Prince Charming conquers oriental beauty in touching love story (P.89-92).

From those resources, it is distinct that the representation of Chinese women is exotic incarnation for white man in the western movies. Due to this impression, most western movies portray Chinese women in tempting way. As Kim describes in his books, petite oriental woman becomes a particular sexual temptation to the white man, and the oriental woman is also exotic incarnation in western movies (P.144). In addition to this, Chou, the author of Gender Politics in the Chinese Martial Arts Film, also argues this statement in another way. He declares that weak oriental woman become prey to western white men. The oriental woman often cannot help herself, and is eager to throw herself, when she meets the majestic white man (P.32).

Beside this representation of Chinese women in western movies, there are also some people who have another thought about Chinese women. They regards Chinese women always play the week who was redeemed by western people in the movies. Christine, the author of Paying for Love: Women's Work and Love in Popular Film, states that psychological sense of salvation is typically reflected in love relationship of white men and Chinese women in the movies (P.212). In addition to this, Judge argues that Chinese women are the week, not only in physiology, but also in psychology (P. 58). Since Chinese women are delicate and easy to crumble, the western people always play the role of savior for them in the movies.

What is more, Daphne, the author of Female Immigrant Entrepreneurs: The Economic and Social Impact of a Global Phenomenon, gives us one reason about why Chinese women always are saved by western people. In order to show male chauvinism, they use the week like Chinese women to be saved by man (P.33). Besides, Dixon also states in his book, the western movies want to use obscure methods to show that the west conquer the east (P.172).

Therefore, according to my research, Chinese women in western movies have two man representations. One is that Chinese women become the exotic incarnation in the movies. Another is that Chinese women always play the week that are saved by western people.