The True Face of China: Literary Portrayals and Cultural Realities

Publication Date

Spring 2025

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

Department

Asian Studies, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

SPARK Category

Scholarship

Faculty Advisor

Qingjun Li

WELL Core Type

Cultural Wellness

SPARK Session

Asian Studies 2:00-3:00

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

This paper examines the complex and multifaceted representations of China and the Chinese experience through the lens of both Western literature and contemporary Chinese cinema. Drawing from works such as Mark Twain’s Roughing It and Goldsmith’s Friend Abroad Again, Maxine Hong Kingston’s China Men, and Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth, the study explores how these authors, shaped by their individual biases and historical contexts, portray Chinese immigrants and Chinese culture. Twain’s works, while offering a critical look at the racial discrimination faced by Chinese immigrants in 19th-century America, also reinforce racial stereotypes, revealing the limitations of Western representations of China. Kingston’s personal, layered narrative in China Men highlights the resilience of Chinese immigrants, while Buck’s idealized depiction of Chinese family life reflects Confucian values but oversimplifies the diversity of Chinese society. In contrast, contemporary Chinese films like Together (和你在一起), Cooking Up a Storm, and Everyone’s Fine offer more nuanced, insider perspectives, emphasizing the fluid and evolving nature of China’s identity. This analysis underscores that China’s identity is not a fixed entity but an ongoing dialogue shaped by historical, cultural, and political factors, demonstrating the contrast between Western misinterpretations and contemporary Chinese portrayals.

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