Gendered Self-Consciousness in China’s Sixth Generation Women’s Cinema: a social semiotic analysis of female consciousness and self-identity in films from the independent and commercial sector Noortje Schot s1017659 Hildebrandpad 103 2333 DE Leiden [email protected] [email protected] 0640214573 MA thesis Asian Studies 120 EC: China Studies Leiden University Supervisor: A.S. Keijser Hand-in date: July 1st 2017 Word count: 13.500 (excl. appendix) Gendered Self-Consciousness in China’s Sixth Generation Women’s Cinema: a social semiotic analysis of female consciousness and self-identity in films from the independent and commercial sector Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Literature review .............................................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Gender discourse and self-identity (in modern China) ........................................................... 6 2.2 Female consciousness and self-identity (in cinema) .............................................................. 8 2.3 Chinese Sixth Generation (women’s) cinema ........................................................................ 9 2.4 Commercial vs. independent cinema in China ..................................................................... 11 3 Methodology .................................................................................................................................. 13 3.3 Research approach and data collection ................................................................................. 13 3.3.1 Independent sector ................................................................................................................ 13 3.3.2 Commercial sector ................................................................................................................ 13 3.4 Data analysis & interpretation: a social semiotic analysis of film ....................................... 13 3.3 Summarizing the analysis ..................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Difficulties and limitations ................................................................................................... 16 3.5 Ethical considerations ........................................................................................................... 17 3.6 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 17 4. Research findings: independent sector ........................................................................................... 19 4.1 Egg and Stone (2012) ........................................................................................................... 19 4.1.1 Background on Huang Ji and her directing style ............................................................. 19 4.1.2 Film synopsis of Egg and Stone by Huang Ji .................................................................. 19 4.1.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 20 4.1.4 Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................. 20 4.2 Lost in Beijing (2007) .......................................................................................................... 22 4.2.1 Background on Li Yu and her directing style .................................................................. 22 4.2.2 Film synopsis of Lost in Beijing by Li Yu ....................................................................... 22 4.2.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 23 4.2.4 Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................. 24 4.3 Oxhide (2005) ....................................................................................................................... 25 4.3.1 Background on Liu Jiayin and her directing style ........................................................... 25 4.3.2 Film synopsis of Oxhide by Liu Jiayin ............................................................................ 25 4.3.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 25 Noortje Schot 1 Gendered Self-Consciousness in China’s Sixth Generation Women’s Cinema: a social semiotic analysis of female consciousness and self-identity in films from the independent and commercial sector 4.3.4 Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................. 26 5. Research findings: commercial sector ........................................................................................... 27 5.1 Finding Mr. Right (2013) ..................................................................................................... 27 5.1.1 Background on Xue Xiaolu and her directing style ......................................................... 27 5.1.2 Film synopsis of Finding Mr. Right by Xue Xiaolu: ....................................................... 27 5.1.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 27 5.1.4 Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................. 28 5.2 You and Me (2005) .............................................................................................................. 29 5.2.1 Background on Ma Liwen and her directing style ........................................................... 29 5.2.2 Film synopsis of You and Me by Ma Liwen .................................................................... 29 5.2.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 29 5.2.4 Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................. 30 5.3 Letter From an Unknown Woman (2004) ............................................................................ 31 5.3.1 Background on Xu Jinglei and her directing style ........................................................... 31 5.3.2 Film synopsis of Letter From an Unknown Woman by Xu Jinglei ................................. 31 5.3.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 31 5.3.4 Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................. 32 6. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 33 7. Appendix ........................................................................................................................................ 34 7.1 Scene overview of Egg and Stone ........................................................................................ 34 7.2 Scene overview of Lost in Beijing ....................................................................................... 37 7.3 Scene overview of Oxide ...................................................................................................... 41 7.4 Scene overview of Finding Mr. Right .................................................................................. 44 7.5 Scene overview of Letter From an Unknown Woman ......................................................... 48 7.6 Scene overview of You and Me ........................................................................................... 51 8. Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 55 8.1 English sources ..................................................................................................................... 55 8.2 Chinese sources .................................................................................................................... 58 9. Filmography ................................................................................................................................... 60 10. Chinese Glossary ...................................................................................................................... 61 Noortje Schot 2 Gendered Self-Consciousness in China’s Sixth Generation Women’s Cinema: a social semiotic analysis of female consciousness and self-identity in films from the independent and commercial sector 1. Introduction This study examines female consciousness and self-identity in China’s Sixth Generation women’s cinema. Firstly, I will explore several topics regarding gender, female consciousness, self-identity and women’s cinema in the literature review section of this thesis. The main chapters of this thesis study films from Sixth Generation female directors from the independent and commercial sector. I will use a social semiotic approach to film analysis to substantiate my research. Each chapter contributes to my research as a whole, to create a balance between breadth and depth. Finally,