Hibiscus Town
Encyclopedia
Hibiscus Town is a 1986 Chinese film
directed by Xie Jin
, based on a novel by the same name written by Gu Hua. The film, a melodrama
, follows the life and travails of a young woman who lives through the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution
and as such is an example of the "scar drama" genre that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s that detailed life during that period. The film was produced by the Shanghai Film Studio
.
is happily married and runs a successful roadside food stall selling spicy beancurd. Yuyin is supported by Party members Li Mangeng, who once wanted to marry her, and Director Gu, a war veteran in charge of the granary. But in 1964 the Four Cleanups Movement sends a Party work-team to root out Rightists and capitalist roader
s. The team is led by Li Guoxiang,a single woman, and helped by Wang Qiushi, a former poor peasant who has lost his land because of his drinking. At a public struggle session
, Yuyin is declared to be a "new rich peasant." Both her home and business are taken from her and her husband, Li Guigui (Liu Linian) commits suicide in despair.
After the first waves of the Revolution have ended, Yuyin returns to the town, now relegated to a lowly street sweeper. She then falls in love with Qin Shutian (Jiang Wen
), who had come in the 1950s to collect local folksongs but was declared to be one of the Five Black Categories
. When Yuyin becomes pregnant, however, this loving relationship attracts the outrage of Li Guoxiang and Wang Qiushe, who themselves are having a secret affair. Shutian is sent to reform through labor and it is not until Deng Xiaoping
's reforms in 1978 that his case is reviewed and he is allowed to return and help Yuyin re-establish their street restaurant.
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
directed by Xie Jin
Xie Jin
Xie Jin was an important Chinese film director. He rose to prominence in 1957, directing the film Woman Basketball Player No. 5. Most recently he was known for the direction of The Opium War....
, based on a novel by the same name written by Gu Hua. The film, a melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
, follows the life and travails of a young woman who lives through the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
and as such is an example of the "scar drama" genre that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s that detailed life during that period. The film was produced by the Shanghai Film Studio
Shanghai Film Studio
Shanghai Film Studio is the film division of the Shanghai Film Group Corporation in Shanghai, China. It is responsible for the production of Chinese films and TV programs.-History:...
.
Cast
- Liu XiaoqingLiu XiaoqingLiu Xiaoqing is a first-class actress of China. She is also a businesswoman. She was one of the leading actresses in China in the 1980s.-Position:the First-class Actress of people's Republic of China...
as Hu Yuyin, the film's heroine, a young woman who is caught up in the political turmoil of China's Cultural RevolutionCultural RevolutionThe Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976... - Liu Linian as Li Guigui, Yuyin's first husband
- Jiang WenJiang WenJiang Wen is a Chinese film actor and director. As a director, he is sometimes grouped with the "sixth generation" that emerged in the 1990s. Jiang is also well known internationally as an actor, having starred with Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's debut film Red Sorghum...
as Qin Shutian, a "bourgeoisie" rightist who falls in love with Yuyin
Plot
The film follows Hu Yuyin (Liu Xiaoqing), a young woman in a small Chinese town on the eve of the Cultural RevolutionCultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
is happily married and runs a successful roadside food stall selling spicy beancurd. Yuyin is supported by Party members Li Mangeng, who once wanted to marry her, and Director Gu, a war veteran in charge of the granary. But in 1964 the Four Cleanups Movement sends a Party work-team to root out Rightists and capitalist roader
Capitalist roader
In Maoist thought, a capitalist roader or is a person or group who demonstrates a marked tendency to bow to pressure from Bourgeois forces and subsequently attempts to pull the Revolution in a capitalist direction....
s. The team is led by Li Guoxiang,a single woman, and helped by Wang Qiushi, a former poor peasant who has lost his land because of his drinking. At a public struggle session
Struggle Session
A struggle session was a form of public humiliation used by the Communist Party of China to enforce a reign of terror in the Mao Zedong era to shape public opinion and to humiliate, persecute, and/or execute political rivals, so-called class enemies...
, Yuyin is declared to be a "new rich peasant." Both her home and business are taken from her and her husband, Li Guigui (Liu Linian) commits suicide in despair.
After the first waves of the Revolution have ended, Yuyin returns to the town, now relegated to a lowly street sweeper. She then falls in love with Qin Shutian (Jiang Wen
Jiang Wen
Jiang Wen is a Chinese film actor and director. As a director, he is sometimes grouped with the "sixth generation" that emerged in the 1990s. Jiang is also well known internationally as an actor, having starred with Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's debut film Red Sorghum...
), who had come in the 1950s to collect local folksongs but was declared to be one of the Five Black Categories
Five Black Categories
The phrase Five Black Categories referred to the following five political identities during the Cultural Revolution period in the People's Republic of China:* Landlords * Rich farmers * Anti-revolutionists * Bad-influencers ["bad elements"]...
. When Yuyin becomes pregnant, however, this loving relationship attracts the outrage of Li Guoxiang and Wang Qiushe, who themselves are having a secret affair. Shutian is sent to reform through labor and it is not until Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
's reforms in 1978 that his case is reviewed and he is allowed to return and help Yuyin re-establish their street restaurant.
Awards
- Golden Rooster AwardsGolden Rooster AwardsChina Golden Rooster Film Festival also known as Golden Rooster Awards are the most prestigious awards in film given in mainland China, equivalent the China's Academy Awards. The awards are given annually, beginning in 1981. The name of the award came from the year of the Rooster in 1981...
, 19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
- Best Film
- Best Actress — Liu XiaoqingLiu XiaoqingLiu Xiaoqing is a first-class actress of China. She is also a businesswoman. She was one of the leading actresses in China in the 1980s.-Position:the First-class Actress of people's Republic of China...
- Best Supporting Actress — Xu Ning
- Best Art Direction— Jin Qifen
- Hundred Flowers AwardsHundred Flowers AwardsThe People's Hundred Flowers Film Festival or Hundred Flowers Awards, equivalent the China's Golden Globes, are considered, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards in China...
, 19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
- Best Film — tied with Sun Zhongshan and Xue zhan Taierzhuang
- Best Actor — Jiang WenJiang WenJiang Wen is a Chinese film actor and director. As a director, he is sometimes grouped with the "sixth generation" that emerged in the 1990s. Jiang is also well known internationally as an actor, having starred with Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's debut film Red Sorghum...
- Best Actress — Liu XiaoqingLiu XiaoqingLiu Xiaoqing is a first-class actress of China. She is also a businesswoman. She was one of the leading actresses in China in the 1980s.-Position:the First-class Actress of people's Republic of China...
- Best Supporting Actor — Zhu Shibin
- Karlovy Vary International Film FestivalKarlovy Vary International Film FestivalThe Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary , Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival gained worldwide recognition over the past years and has become one of Europe's major film events....
, 19881988 in film-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
- Crystal GlobeCrystal GlobeCrystal Globe is the main award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, first given in the city of Karlovy Vary of the Czech Republic, in 1948.In the international competition of films, IFFKV presents the following awards:...
, Grand Prix
- Crystal Globe
Further reading
- Browne, Nick. "Society and Subjectivity: On the Political Economy of Chinese Melodrama," in New Chinese Cinemas: Forms, Identities, Politics. Cambridge: CUP, 1994, 57-87.
- Hayford, Charles W. "Hibiscus Town: Revolution, Love and Bean Curd." In Chris Berry, ed., Chinese Films in Focus: 25 New Takes. London: BFI Publishing, 2003, 120-27.
- Kipnis, Andrew. "Anti-Maoist Gender: Hibiscus Town's Naturalization of a Dengist Sex/Gender/Kinship System." Asian Cinema 8, 2 (Winter 1996-97): 66-75.
External links
- Hibiscus Town article from China.org
- Hibiscus Town from the Chinese Movie Database
- Overview and questions of Hibiscus Town from Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...