A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Revolutionary History TV Drama in Those Passionate Days
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Return to Confucianism? A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Revolutionary History TV Drama In Those Passionate Days LI, Luzhou A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Philosophy in Communication The Chinese University of Hong Kong September 2009 ^k., '''niSiTY ^^I^BRAR/ SYSTEi^Z Thesis/Assessment Committee Professor Joseph Chan (Chair) Professor Saskia Wittebom (Thesis Supervisor) Professor Anthony Fung (Committee Member) Professor Radhika Gajjala (External Examiner) Abstract This thesis aims at exploring the relationship between revolutionary history TV dramas and the social context in which these dramas occur. It uses the analytical framework of critical discourse analysis (CDA) proposed by Fairclough (1995) to analyze the revolutionary history TV drama In Those Passionate Days. The critical analysis of media discourse is the analysis of the relationship among three dimensions: text, discourse practice, and sociocultural practice. Discourse practice means the ways in which the text is produced and consumed. Discourse practice is important in the framework of CDA first because it is fundamental to the construction of the meaning of the text and second because it analytically mediates between text and sociocultural practice. This study emphasizes the analysis of text, audience, and a selective analysis of the sociocultural practices. More specifically, it asks two questions. First, how is the revolutionary hero Shi Guangrong constructed in the drama? Second, how do the 1980s generation viewers interpret the meaning of the drama and how does the meaning become manifest in the viewers' lives? The answers to these two research questions are obtained through a detailed analysis of discourse practice, that is, the ways in which the viewers talk about the drama. Qualitative interviewing is conducted with twenty 1980s generation viewers and the viewers' ways of sense-making are reconstructed through the analysis of interview materials. The authorial reading of the text is based on viewers' interpretations following the drama. The results show that the drama In Those Passionate Days is structured around the Confucian five relationships of "ruler to minister", "father to son", "husband to wife", "elder brother to younger brother", and "friend to friend." The hero Shi Guangrong is constructed as a benevolent person especially around the relationships of "ruler to minister" and "father to son." Closely associated with the theme of benevolence is qing (conjugal love, fraternal love, friendship), growing out of the Confucian five relationships, especially the relationships of "husband to wife," "elder brother to younger brother," and "friend to friend." Young people participating in this study incorporate Confucian values into the reading of the drama, and the viewing process provides a prominent occasion for viewers' construction, expression, and interpretation of sociocultural values they hold important. A detailed account of discourse practice reveals the relationship between revolutionary history TV dramas and the social context in which these dramas occur. The study concludes that there is now a revival of Confucianism in China and this trend is "textually enacted" (Fairclough, 1992, p. 206) in the drama In Those Passionate Days and this text influences/strengthens sociocultural values related to Confucianism. This thesis then discusses the social context that enables the revival of Confucianism and maintains that the revival of Confucianism functions ideologically in contemporary China. This study also makes small contributions to understanding CDA as a theoretical framework. It questions the distinction between discourse practice and sociocultural practice suggested by Fairclough. Submitted by LI, Luzhou for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Communication at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in September 2009 111 1995) CDA) CDA 80 - - 80 “ ” “ ” Acknowledgements First and foremost, my deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor Saskia. In my life so far, she is one of the very few people who has had a tremendous influence on my intellectual development. She is an excellent supervisor. She has given me huge support and guidance in these two years, especially during the process of my thesis writing. I appreciate her kindness and patience of talking to me again and again to help develop my ideas and reading different versions of my thesis word for word. I also appreciate her rigorous scholarship, meticulous attitude to work, clear thinking, and strong sense of responsibility. She is an excellent teacher. The course Advanced Qualitative Research Methods taught by her enabled me not only to get familiar with a different inquiry paradigm in social science but also to know the ongoing debates in academia. She is also a person with charming personalities. She cares about her students. She always encourages me to keep going and readily gives me any help she can provide. She has taught me to appreciate the beauty of difference and to embrace this world with an open and curious mind. I will never forget every talk I had with her either in her office or in UC canteen in these two years. I am also greatly indebted to my committee members, Joseph and Anthony, for their valuable comments at every stage of my thesis writing and for their various kinds of advices and supports to my studies in these two years. I especially appreciate the questions raised by them during the oral defense, which were very inspiring. This thesis also owes much to the twenty interviewees who have participated in this VI study and kindly shared with me their experiences. Without their generous assistance, this thesis could not be accomplished. I would also like to thank other professors and staffs at the School of Journalism and Communication. I will never forget the talk I had with Annisa in the corridor outside GA room on a rainy night in May and the big hug after my oral defense. Francis has given me great encouragement when I was feeling frustrated. Heidi has been so kind to answer various questions I have. Last but not least, I give special thanks to Brahms, in his music I find serenity and calm. vn TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT (in English) i ABSTRACT (in Chinese) iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi TABLE OF CONTENTS viii LIST OF TABLES x CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Question 1.2 Structure of the Thesis 2. HEROES IN COMMUNIST CHINESE HISTORY 2.1 A Brief Review on the Hero Literature 2.2 Heroes in Communist Chinese History 2.2.1 Yan 'an talk and the principle of socialist realism 16 2.2.2 Heroes in different stages of Communist Chinese history 20 2.2.3 The anti-Confucianism sentiment 29 3. METHODOLOGY 32 3.1 Data Collection 32 3.1.1 Interviewee recruitment 33 3.1.2 Interview techniques 36 Vlll 3.1.3 Selection of the texts 38 3.2 Data Analysis 38 4. ANALYSIS 41 4.1 Human Nature: The Benevolence 42 4.1.1 Ruler to minister: The loyalty 51 4.1.2 Father to son: The filial piety 57 4.2 Human Emotion: Qing 75 4.2.1 Husband to wife: The conjugal love 78 4.2.2 Elder brother to younger brother: The fraternal love 82 4.2.3 Friend to friend: The friendship 85 5. THE REVIVAL OF CONFUCIANISM 89 5.1 Why the Revival of Confucianism? 94 6. CONCLUSION 110 REFERENCES 127 APPENDIXES A. The Interview Guide 144 B. List of Interviewees 145 C. Figure 1 and Figure 2 148 IX LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Market Share of Different TV Drama Genres in 2002 122 Table 2 Broadcasting and Rating of three Revolutionary History TV Dramas in 2004 124 Table 3 Average Rating of the Top Three TV Dramas in 2002 125 Table 4 Average Rating of In Those Passionate Days in Major Cities in 2002..... 126 Return to Confucianism? A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Revolutionary History TV Drama In Those Passionate Days Chapter 1 Introduction Confucius says that benevolent men will posses courage but brave men are not necessarily benevolent. Shi (Shi Guangrong) is benevolent and therefore he is courageous. He dares to bring Wu home during the Cultural Revolution.' This action is motivated by his great benevolence and this great benevolence gives him great courage. This quote was generated during an interview with a Chinese 1980s generation viewer of the drama In Those Passionate Days, the most successful revolutionary history TV drama approved and produced by the Communist Party. This quote illustrates that the viewer absorbs and mobilizes the most exalted Confucian virtue of benevolence ( to interpret the central character of the drama, the revolutionary hero Shi Guangrong. This Confucian meaning produced by the encounter of the viewer and the text does not seem to be groundless. The rehabilitation of Confucianism is one of the most significant and remarkable phenomena in post-Mao China (Bell, 2008; Bezlova, 2009; Lam, 2008; Reed, 1995; Schell, 2008; Wasserstrom, 2008; Weber, 2000; Weiss, 2000; Yang, 2007; Yu, 2008; Zhu, 2005, 2006, 2008). Confucianism is gradually gaining prominence in the official discourse in today's China. The revival of Confucianism embedded in official agendas, for instance, in the agenda of ‘‘building a socialist The Cultural Revolution in Communist Chinese history lasted from 1966 to 1976. harmonious society" initiated by Beijing's current leaders, has also been reflected in all aspects of society, including media, arts, and education (Zhu, 2008). Since the beginning of this century, a group of officially approved revolutionary history TV dramas has dominated primetime television in China and won wide popularity among the audience (see Table 1 and Table 2). The first drama of this kind was the above-mentioned In Those Passionate Days, jointly produced in 2002 by the Modern Drama Troupe of the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Modern Drama Troupe of the Shenyang Military Region, and Chang'An Film and TV Production Limited Liability Company.