Art & Politics: City of Life and Death

Art & Politics: Art & Politics: City of Life and Death
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Art & Politics: City of Life and Death
Historical events such as the Nanjing massacre have had a significant impact in the sociocultural and political development in society. However, the manner in which such events, particularly those that involve two or more cultures such as wars or cross-cultural-confrontations are often perceived and interpreted differently in the two cultures. The Nanjing Massacre, for instance, is an important historical moment that involved a confrontation of the Japanese and the Chinese cultures during the Second Sino-Japanese war of 1937. However, the manner in which this specific event is commemorated among both the Chinese and thee Japanese is different. As a Chinese citizen, the Nanjing Massacre is an indelible part of our history. Children are taught about this event in schools and we have a national event to commemorate it with fags flowing at half-mast in honor of those who lost their lives. There, in China, the event is quite sentimental and everyone knows about in in such great detail. However, the same cannot be said of the Japanese. The Japanese friends that have interacted with have very scanty details of the event and it is not such a substantial part of their history. The Japanese are not taught about the massacre in schools and they do not have a special day set up for remembering those who died during the unfortunate event.
Lu Chuan film, City of Life and Death, is based on the actual events of the Nanjing Massacre and depicts the historical events as it happened. This 2009 Chinese film is notable for highlighting the sociopolitical aspects of the massacre from a Chinese perspective. Characterization, cinematography, plot, tone, and dialogues are the main elements in emphasizing the film's narrative. Ultimately, 'City of Life and Death' has presented the in-depth details of the Nanjing massacre from the perspective of both the victims and the perpetrators. This essay looks at the social and political contexts of the film’s depiction of the Nanjing massacre.
Social Contexts of the Film
The director had depicted different social aspects in the film associated with the Nanjing massacre and its impact on the Chinese and Japanese. According to the film, the seizure of Nanjing by Japanese troops started in 1937 with devastating outcomes (French, 2010). The Chinese were murdered, and their properties were looted, while the Japanese military raped Chinese women. The Chinese suffered and had to seek refuge in demilitarized zones that were controlled by the foreign community.
Mass killings of the Chinese prisoners of war by the Japanese led by Sergeant Masao portrayed moral and social decay during the war (French, 2010). Regarding the Nanjing massacre, two lieutenants, namely Mukai and Noda, had a competition where they used their ceremonial swords to decapitate Chinese war prisoners. As portrayed in the film, these actions became the basis of today's relationship between Japan and China. From a Chinese social perspective, rape cases filed against the Japanes...