Projecting the ‘Chineseness’: Nationalism, Identity and Chinese Martial Arts Films

Abstract

Wushu, also known as Kung Fu, is a traditional Chinese martial art. It also symbolises
\nthe strength of the Chinese and their pride in their history. Wushu came to be associated
\nwith Chinese nationalism after China’s various defeats at the hands of foreign
\nimperialist powers at the turn of the twentieth century. This relationship has been
\nfurther strengthened through martial arts films. In the first half of the twentieth century,
\nmartial arts films helped to construct national identity among the Chinese. They also
\nfacilitated the development of Wushu, making it a symbol of indigenous virtue and
\nstrength. From the late 1960s, influenced by a defensive strain of nationalism, Chinese
\nfilm-makers began to adopt a new approach to the portrayal of Wushu. Martial arts
\nfilms were endowed with political and cultural significance, and evolved as a unique
\nrepresentation of Chinese nationalism. Several decades later, martial arts films still
\nretain at their core a sense of ‘Chineseness’. From Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury to Donnie
\nYen’s IP Man, Chinese martial arts films have demonstrated not only the important
\nplace of Wushu in Chinese nationalism, but also the influence of nationalism on
\nChinese cinema.