FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE ANALYSIS REGARDING POSSIBILITY TRUE TO

YOURSELF DURING REVOLUTION

Farewell My Concubine Analysis Regarding Possibility of True to Yourself during Revolution

Abstract
This paper wills seek to determine the validity and possibility of staying true to oneself during
time of true turmoil and revolution through analysis of the characters Dieyi and Xiaolou in
Farewell My Concubine by analyzing the cinematic representation of the event between the two

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE ANALYSIS REGARDING POSSIBILITY OF TRUE TO

YOURSELF DURING REVOLUTION

protagonists during a time of true revolution during Chinas cultural revolution and by
interpretation of the representation of the film. The film Farewell My Concubine depicted the
resilience the Peking Opera had to itself during the influences and experience of several
opposing ruling powers. Regardless of the ruling powers before, and during the representation of
the Cultural Revolution the actors continued their roles and performed with bold color.
Keywords: Cultural revolution, Peking Opera, cinematic representation, resilience

Overview
This film highlights the rapid shifts of power between 1945 and 1949 pre Cultural Revolution. A
period of only four years caused mass confusion and hysteria in the Chinese peoples lives. Due
to the rapid change of power between the 1945 to 1949 the major events that brought and had a
huge influx of opposing control, individuals had to quickly adapt and change to survive or face
certain death, The pivotal events include the 1945 Surrender of the Japanese, 1946 Reformation
of the Peoples Liberation army and collapse of the truce between the Nationalist- CHinese
Communist Party (CCP),continuation of post WWII fighting, 1947 Nationalist overrun of CCP,
1948 (1:50:00) Eve of nationalist Evacuation to Taiwan Communists have surrounded the city
and Scene to then (1:59:49) 1949 Beginning Maos Era The Communist People's Liberation
Army Enters Beijing.
The Nationalists and Chinese Communist Party had very opposed views. The different views
consisted of value to culture, value to history, value to organization of peoples and politics. This
polarizing of values caused fear and instability in the lives of the people, especially artists like
the protagonists Xiaolou and Deiyi in Farewell My Concubine . Many times opposition to the
government lead to death of traitors as those who did not show loyalty to their country and the
only justice to appease the people was death.. Because of the rapid changing of power and

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE ANALYSIS REGARDING POSSIBILITY OF TRUE TO

YOURSELF DURING REVOLUTION

extreme punishment, many people lived in fear, quickly adjusting to whatever persons were in
power. Essentially they were living with the times - as said by Xiaolou to Dieyi to survive.
This undertone of constant paranoia and fear was present and most highlighted in the Cinematic
representation parts. Most directly the scene of the Xiaolous apology (2:16:35 to 2:17:50) the
characters most pivotal moment and becoming naked of the underlying actions that plagued
the characters throughout the whole film. The thesis question remaining, can you be true to
yourself during a time of true turmoil is further analyzable through the discussion of the
cinematic representation of the period.
Cinematic Representation

Mise-en- Scene comprises of everything that is occurring within the frame outside of editing
and sound specifically looking at Setting and sets, Acting style, Costumes, Lighting and
filtering. The setting of the scene in which X has returned to the training home of their
late master, it integrates familiarity into the action. The setting of an organized room
functions signs of control and severe serenity in order to convey narrative of Deiyis
internal self, or the feelings he has regarding his stage brother or of what his stage brother
is trying to say. The color of the room is in all neutral and bleak . The acting of Deiyi and
Xiaolou is juxtaposed, mirroring their strifeful life, there is balance in between the two
characters. Deiyi is shown to be naturally collected in his general manner of Concubine.
Xiaolou is methodically intense and psychologically driven in the scene he is feverishly
and anxiously in behavior. Deyi is dressed in classical wear, defiant of the cultural era
and Xiaolou is dressed in the communist clothing practical and meaningful. During this
scene the lighting is low key, the many shadows- of Xiaolou in the back and half of
Deiyis face is surrounded by low contrast lighting this provokes the daunting energy that

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE ANALYSIS REGARDING POSSIBILITY OF TRUE TO

YOURSELF DURING REVOLUTION

makes up this scene. Diffuser/ Filter furthermore the light in background is diffused and
coarsely filtered.
During lecture, many critical points were discussed that were very poignant mise-en-scene
features in Farewell My Concubine that characterized the feelings not said between the
protagonists, they are most displayed by the Establishing shot and the Shot/counter shot.
The Establishing shot establishes the location, characters and purpose. The Shot/Counter
shot is a standard device that is used during dialogue between two characters :often starts
with a two-shot of the two characters, then moves back and forth. The analysis of Shot/
counter shot also combines the camera angle, shot distance and pace to establish a point
of view.
The Establishing shot (2:16:35 ) provides the reference of the theatre training grounds that is
now Deiyis home. Here, the characters that provide purpose to the scene are the
protagonists Deiyi and Xiaolou his stage-brother. The purpose is described by the specific
positioning of the character, Xiaolou is outside the door and Deiyi is facing away. The
Shot/ countershot provides purpose of Xiaolou facing the entrance of the door suggests
his intent to make a connection with Deiyi.
The Shot/ Counter shot moves back and forth in two scenes between Deiyi and Xiaolou, First
the camera angle is positioned on a low angle and extreme close up shot distance of Deiyi
. Then the camera moves to a low angle far distance shot of Xiaolou with a long-shot
shot distance. The imbalance of sharing similar low camera angles signifies an
imbalance between the two characters and therefore reasonable interpretation suggestion
of a level- field of power but due to the opposing shot distances, it is more reasonable
to suggest that the imbalance of similar camera angles is really signaling strife or conflict

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE ANALYSIS REGARDING POSSIBILITY OF TRUE TO

YOURSELF DURING REVOLUTION

between the two protagonists. The suggestion of strife between the two protagonists is
further displayed by the opposing shot distances. Deiyi is presented with an extreme close
up that suggests intense emotion and feeling. Xiaolou is presented with a far distance shot
that represents separation. The purpose of the interaction between the two characters is
representable of transition to develop a connection.
The purpose is further supported by the dialogue between Deiyi and Xiaolou which is
provided in the interpretation.
Interpretation
The answer of the thesis to whether it is possible to stay true to oneself during turmoil is
answered in the interpretation of the film, including the components of historical and
cinematic representation context.
During turmoil and the constant need to adapt to survive certainly makes being true to
oneself a difficult task as well as difficult to determine. To determine whether Deiyi or
Xiaolou stayed true to their inner self, first the character must be determined. According
to the cinematic representation of shots that suggest intense emotion and presents of
counter distanced to Xiaolou it appears that Dieyi has remained true to himself. By
Dieyis dialogue Why does the Concubine have to die ? further supports his integrity
to his inner self. It is also cautious to decide that Deiyi was completely true to himself
due to the historical context and the human embodiment of anxiety. Dieyi could have
used his character of Concubine to provide himself with consistency and focus, he knew
how to be Concubine and professed female roles. So within staying in character
throughout the scene- Dieyi was true to himself. Conversely Xiaolou in this scene
showed that by his overtly anxious attempt

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE ANALYSIS REGARDING POSSIBILITY OF TRUE TO

YOURSELF DURING REVOLUTION

References:

Jenny Kwok Wah Lau. (1995). "Farewell My Concubine": History, Melodrama, and Ideology
in Contemporary Pan-Chinese Cinema. Film Quarterly, 49(1), 1627.
http://doi.org/10.2307/1213489
Kaplan, Ann. Reading Formations and Chen Kaiges Farewell My Concubine. In Sheldon
Lu, ed., Transnational Chinese Cinema: Identity, Nationhood, Gender. Honolulu:
University of Hawaii Press, 1997.
Farewell My Concubine http://www.dramanice.to/farewell-my-concubine/watch-farewellmy-concubine-episode-1-online
David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art, 6th Ed. (McGraw-Hill)
Monaco, James. How to Read a Film: The Art, Technology, Language, History, and Theory
of Film and Media. Revised Edition (Oxford U. Press: 1981).
Stephen Prince, Movies and Meaning: An Introduction to Film
Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film. Second Edition (HarperCollins:
1994)