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The Banning of a Geisha: Is the only good Japanese a bad Japanese?
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posted Thursday, 19 January 2006
It goes without saying that one of the most important maxims in life is that 'You shouldn't criticize something until you have gotten to know it'. Unfortunately, this is exactly what many Chinese may never get a chance to do with Rob Marshall's contentious new film 'Memoirs of a Geisha' because, according to rumor at least, it is about to be 'banned in China'.
Memoirs of a Geisha, titled 艺伎回忆录 in Chinese, had originally be scheduled to appear in Chinese theatres on 19 February, but it has now been officially put on hold, with no date yet available for its release, and little state comment on when, or even if, it will be approved for viewing in China.
A situation that has been heightened by reports in number of Chinese newspapers, including the Shanghai Youth Daily, which claim that 'Geisha' may be banned from release all together, on the grounds that it might incite anti-Japanese sentiment, and that its screening might provoke a sharp backlash among viewers and critics.
Tension?
Though not tackling Sino-Japanese affairs, 'Geisha' earlier created outrage among many Chinese nationalist because of its cast. Specifically, the fact that two of the lead Japanese characters were played by the Chinese actresses 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li). With nationalists calling both 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li) 'traitors' for acting outside their race, and voicing the opinion that no Chinese should play a Japanese because of Japan's record of aggression against China during WWII.
章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) also received sharp Criticism for engaging in a number of 'intimate' scenes with Japanese actor 渡辺謙 (Watanabe Ken), who played the male lead. Chinese nationalists have decried 章 (Zhang)'s participation in these scenes being “Shameful”.
Observer however noted that, while nationalist complained bitterly about 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li)'s roles in 'Geisha', they did not extend their criticism of Chinese playing Japanese to the hundreds of other Chinese actors and actresses who have been cast as 'wicked Japanese' in numerous Chinese made movies.
Leading some to questions the true motives of critics, and to suggest that their complaints may have had more to do with the sympathetic way that 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li) portrayed their Japanese characters, than the fact that they were playing Japanese at all.
The State?
According to Mao Yu, a senior official with China's state run Film Bureau, who described 'Geisha' as being a "very complex" issue, no formal decision has yet been made in regards to whether 'Geisha' will be released, censored or banned.
When pressed on the issue, Mao refused to give further information on 'Geisha' or its release. Intimating that the issue was still under consideration, but that was too sensitive to discuss at the present time.
The Only Good Japanese is a Bad Japanese
Despite there being some genuine reasons to fear that 'Geisha' might generate a nationalist backlash, particularly in light of the approaching anniversary of the state backed anti-Japanese demonstrations that rocked China during 2005, some observers have expressed that there might be an additional motive behind Beijing's reluctance to permit the film's screening.
This being the fact that 'Geisha' contains a number of emotionally intense scenes that could well compel a Chinese audience to sympathises with the main character, and to empathising with a Japanese as a victim of the Japanese system, rather to feel hatred towards her for being part of aggressor nation, as Japan was during the period in which 'Geisha' was set.
This view is regarded as being made all the more pertinent by the fact that much of the film takes place during a time when Chinese history records Japanese as suffering few hardships, particularly in relation to the war and its aftermath, and as being near incapable of feeling pain, sorrow or regret in the same way as a Chinese.
Were a Chinese to watch the film, and to empathises with a Japanese of the time or the Chinese actress playing her, they might also be more willing to empathise with modern Japanese, and to accept that only a few Japanese fit the stereotypical views perpetuated by Chinese cinema. A situation that Chinese nationalists no doubt wish to avoid at all costs.
What's more, because the film is American in origin, not Japanese, and has a substantial Chinese cast, it cannot be dismissed by nationalists as being Japanese propaganda or a Japanese whitewash of the period.
Further credibility is leant to this, as being a factor, by the notion that the Chinese media still maintains a highly combative image of Japan and Sino-Japanese history - particularly in regards to Japanese aggression - which have a far higher potential to bring about, or maintain, anti-Japanese sentiment than 'Geisha', but it has suffered little or no censorship in this area.
Broader Implications
Although some observers have noted that, were Beijing to ban 'Geisha', it would likely still be available to many Chinese on pirate DVDs and VCD, one of the wider implications of a ban would be that discussion of the film would also likely be restricted to state approved topics because it is a standard practice for Chinese censors to ban the media from reviewing, discussing, or reporting on the content of a banned film, and to restrict all media comment to 'pre approved' articles produced by the state.
Were this to be the case with 'Geisha', as it has been with many other films, this would not only mean that many Chinese would not have the opportunity to view the film, and to make up their own minds, but those who had seen it, or were interested in the topic, would be largely unable to publicly discuss it.
Uncertainty
At this time, it is not clear whether of not 'Geisha' will be banned, and many live in the hope that the rumors of its impending banning are just rumors, and that Chinese censors will permit it to be screened in full.
In this light, supporters have voiced that 'Geisha' might actually have a soothing effect on Sino-Japanese relations, rather than an agitating one as it brings together Chinese and Japanese actors and shows Japanese society in a way rarely seen in China.
Memoirs of a Geisha, titled 艺伎回忆录 in Chinese, had originally be scheduled to appear in Chinese theatres on 19 February, but it has now been officially put on hold, with no date yet available for its release, and little state comment on when, or even if, it will be approved for viewing in China.
A situation that has been heightened by reports in number of Chinese newspapers, including the Shanghai Youth Daily, which claim that 'Geisha' may be banned from release all together, on the grounds that it might incite anti-Japanese sentiment, and that its screening might provoke a sharp backlash among viewers and critics.
Tension?
Though not tackling Sino-Japanese affairs, 'Geisha' earlier created outrage among many Chinese nationalist because of its cast. Specifically, the fact that two of the lead Japanese characters were played by the Chinese actresses 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li). With nationalists calling both 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li) 'traitors' for acting outside their race, and voicing the opinion that no Chinese should play a Japanese because of Japan's record of aggression against China during WWII.
章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) also received sharp Criticism for engaging in a number of 'intimate' scenes with Japanese actor 渡辺謙 (Watanabe Ken), who played the male lead. Chinese nationalists have decried 章 (Zhang)'s participation in these scenes being “Shameful”.
Observer however noted that, while nationalist complained bitterly about 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li)'s roles in 'Geisha', they did not extend their criticism of Chinese playing Japanese to the hundreds of other Chinese actors and actresses who have been cast as 'wicked Japanese' in numerous Chinese made movies.
Leading some to questions the true motives of critics, and to suggest that their complaints may have had more to do with the sympathetic way that 章子怡 (Zhang Ziyi) and 鞏俐 (Gong Li) portrayed their Japanese characters, than the fact that they were playing Japanese at all.
The State?
According to Mao Yu, a senior official with China's state run Film Bureau, who described 'Geisha' as being a "very complex" issue, no formal decision has yet been made in regards to whether 'Geisha' will be released, censored or banned.
When pressed on the issue, Mao refused to give further information on 'Geisha' or its release. Intimating that the issue was still under consideration, but that was too sensitive to discuss at the present time.
| "I can't tell you anything more because it is just too sensitive," Mao Yu, Director Propaganda and Publishing, state Film Bureau, China. |
The Only Good Japanese is a Bad Japanese
Despite there being some genuine reasons to fear that 'Geisha' might generate a nationalist backlash, particularly in light of the approaching anniversary of the state backed anti-Japanese demonstrations that rocked China during 2005, some observers have expressed that there might be an additional motive behind Beijing's reluctance to permit the film's screening.
This being the fact that 'Geisha' contains a number of emotionally intense scenes that could well compel a Chinese audience to sympathises with the main character, and to empathising with a Japanese as a victim of the Japanese system, rather to feel hatred towards her for being part of aggressor nation, as Japan was during the period in which 'Geisha' was set.
This view is regarded as being made all the more pertinent by the fact that much of the film takes place during a time when Chinese history records Japanese as suffering few hardships, particularly in relation to the war and its aftermath, and as being near incapable of feeling pain, sorrow or regret in the same way as a Chinese.
Were a Chinese to watch the film, and to empathises with a Japanese of the time or the Chinese actress playing her, they might also be more willing to empathise with modern Japanese, and to accept that only a few Japanese fit the stereotypical views perpetuated by Chinese cinema. A situation that Chinese nationalists no doubt wish to avoid at all costs.
What's more, because the film is American in origin, not Japanese, and has a substantial Chinese cast, it cannot be dismissed by nationalists as being Japanese propaganda or a Japanese whitewash of the period.
Further credibility is leant to this, as being a factor, by the notion that the Chinese media still maintains a highly combative image of Japan and Sino-Japanese history - particularly in regards to Japanese aggression - which have a far higher potential to bring about, or maintain, anti-Japanese sentiment than 'Geisha', but it has suffered little or no censorship in this area.
Broader Implications
Although some observers have noted that, were Beijing to ban 'Geisha', it would likely still be available to many Chinese on pirate DVDs and VCD, one of the wider implications of a ban would be that discussion of the film would also likely be restricted to state approved topics because it is a standard practice for Chinese censors to ban the media from reviewing, discussing, or reporting on the content of a banned film, and to restrict all media comment to 'pre approved' articles produced by the state.
Were this to be the case with 'Geisha', as it has been with many other films, this would not only mean that many Chinese would not have the opportunity to view the film, and to make up their own minds, but those who had seen it, or were interested in the topic, would be largely unable to publicly discuss it.
Uncertainty
At this time, it is not clear whether of not 'Geisha' will be banned, and many live in the hope that the rumors of its impending banning are just rumors, and that Chinese censors will permit it to be screened in full.
In this light, supporters have voiced that 'Geisha' might actually have a soothing effect on Sino-Japanese relations, rather than an agitating one as it brings together Chinese and Japanese actors and shows Japanese society in a way rarely seen in China.
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