Contemporary Chinese cinema under censorship

Master's Thesis , 2025 , 94 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Film Science

This thesis applies Michel Foucault’s concept of power-knowledge to explore how censorship functions in contemporary Chinese cinema. Censorship is not merely repressive; it also defines what may be spoken. Here, power does not necessarily flow from above but often works in more subtle forms, such as self-censorship and internalized norms. As Foucault suggests, power is most effective when it becomes normalized and invisible. Filmmakers often preemptively adjust their creative choices, anticipating censorship without explicit directives. Censorship, therefore, influences not only what is visible on screen, but also what remains unrealized or unsaid.

“The role of propaganda and censorship is not as obvious as it may seem. At times, it is subtle; other times, it appears obvious” (Ma:2016). This duality defines contemporary Chinese cinema, where censorship functions as both a visible mechanism of control and an invisible, pervasive constraint. As Chinese cinema extends outward to the world, what defines it is not narrative or aesthetic, but the omnipresent state hand. While audiences see the final product on screen, they rarely recognize the compromises, concessions and acts of self-censorship that shaped its creation. What is left out or hidden can be as revealing as what is seen, illuminating an artistic process as much defined by exclusion as by disclosure.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction.
  • 1.1. Research Questions.
  • 1.2. Research Objectives.
  • 1.3. Methodology.
    • 1.3.1. Research Methods.
    • 1.3.2. Case Study Selection.
    • 1.3.3. Methodological Limitations.
    • 1.3.4. Theoretical Framework.
    • 1.3.5. Ethical Considerations.
  • 1.4. Thesis Structure and Chapter Overview.
  • 1.5. Personal Motivation and Reflection.
• 2. Theoretical Perspectives on Censorship in Chinese Cinema.
  • 2.1. Introduction to the Theoretical Perspectives on Censorship in Chinese Cinema.
  • 2.2. Theoretical Framework: Censorship and Propaganda in Authoritarian Context.
  • 2.3. Foucault's Concept of Power/knowledge in the Context of Contemporary Chinese Cinema.
  • 2.4. Literature Review.
  • 2.5. Conclusion to the Theoretical Perspectives on Censorship in Chinese Cinema.
• 3. The Sixth Generation of Chinese filmmakers: Urban Stories, Social Reality and Worldwide Awareness.
  • 3.1. Introduction to the Sixth Generation of Chinese Filmmakers.
  • 3.2. Emergence of the Sixth Generation of Chinese Filmmakers.
  • 3.3. Central Themes and Relevance of the Sixth Generation of Chinese Filmmakers.
  • 3.4. Conclusion to the The Sixth Generation of Chinese Filmmakers.
• 4. Mechanism of State-sponsored Censorship.
  • 4.1. Introduction to the Mechanism of State-sponsored Censorship.
  • 4.2. The Origins of Modern State-sponsored Censorship in China.
  • 4.3. Overview of Censorship Institutions and Regulatory Bodies.
  • 4.4. Methods and Strategies of Censorship.
  • 4.5. Potential Subjects Vulnerable to Censorship of Film in China.
  • 4.6. Conclusion to the Mechanism of State-sponsored Censorship.
• 5. Case Studies of Chinese Movies on Controversial Subjects.
  • 5.1. Introduction to the Case Studies of Chinese Movies on Controversial Subjects.
  • 5.2. "Summer Palace” (2006): A Cinematic Response to China's Historical Amnesia.
    • 5.2.1. Introduction to the "Summer Palace".
    • 5.2.2. Movie Synopsis.
    • 5.2.3. Political Red Lines in "Summer Palace".
  • 5.3. "Blind Mountain” (2007): Unveiling Human Trafficking and Gender Inequality in Rural China.
    • 5.3.1. Introduction to the "Blind Mountain".
    • 5.3.2. Movie Synopsis.
    • 5.3.3. Political Red Lines in "Blind Mountain".
  • 5.4. “A Touch of Sin” (2013): Violence, Corruption, and the Price of China's Economic Boom.
    • 5.4.1. Introduction to the "A Touch of Sin".
    • 5.4.2. Movie Synopsis.
    • 5.4.3. Political Red Lines in "A Touch of Sin".
  • 5.5. “Above the Dust" (2024): The Human Cost of Urbanization and the Breakdown of Family Relationships.
    • 5.5.1. Introduction to the "Above the Dust".
    • 5.5.2. Movie Synopsis.
    • 5.5.3. Political Red Lines in "Above the Dust".
  • 5.6. Conclusion to the Case Studies of Chinese Movies on Controversial Subjects.
• 6. Filmmaker's Strategies to Navigate Political Red Lines.
  • 6.1. Introduction to the Filmmaker's Strategies to Navigate Political Red Lines.
  • 6.2. Self-Censorship as a Strategic Method in Chinese Filmmaking.
    • 6.2.1. Pema Tseden.
  • 6.3. Breaking Boundaries: Defying Self-Censorship in Chinese Filmmaking.
    • 6.3.1. Lou Ye “Summer Palace” (2006).
    • 6.3.2. Jia Zhangke “A Touch of Sin” (2013).
  • 6.4. Protagonist Struggles as Societal Metaphors in Contemporary Chinese Cinema.
    • 6.4.1. Jia Zhangke “The World” (2004).
    • 6.4.2. Lou Ye “Summer Palace” (2006).
    • 6.4.3. Jia Zhangke “A Touch of Sin" (2013).
    • 6.4.4. Wang Xiaoshuai “Above the Dust” (2024).
  • 6.5. Adaptive Narrative and Aesthetic Recalibration in Contemporary Chinese Cinema.
    • 6.5.1. Jia Zhangke “Still Life” (2006).
    • 6.5.2. Wang Xiaoshuai “So Long, My Son” (2019).
  • 6.6. Banned Locally, Acclaimed Globally: China's Cinema Double Life.
    • 6.6.1. Li Yang “Blind Shaft” (2003).
    • 6.6.2. Wang Xiaoshuai “Above the Dust” (2024).
  • 6.7. Collaboration with Censors: Strategic Compliance in Chinese Cinema.
  • 6.8. Conclusion to the Filmmaker's Strategies to Navigate Political Red Lines.
• 7. Discussion: Future Prospects for Chinese Cinema.
  • 7.1. Introduction to the Discussion: Future Prospects for Chinese Cinema.
  • 7.2. International Recognition of Chinese Cinema at Global Film Festival.
  • 7.3. Strategic Internationalization and Bifurcated Reception.
  • 7.4. The Paradox of Censorship: Restraint and Resilience in Chinese Cinema.
  • 7.5. Conclusion to the Discussion: Future Prospects for Chinese Cinema.
• 8. Conclusion.
  • 8.1 Summary of Key Findings.
  • 8.2. Contribution to Research.
  • 8.3. Methodological Reflection.
  • 8.4. Implications and Future Research.
  • 8.5 Personal Reflection.

Objective & Thematic Focus

This thesis offers a critical examination of the strategies employed by Chinese filmmakers to navigate state-sanctioned censorship while engaging with politically sensitive subject matter. It aims to understand how Chinese filmmakers respond to, negotiate, and subvert censorship mechanisms by closely examining their cinematic output and public discourse.

• Exploration of state-sponsored censorship mechanisms in Chinese cinema.
• Analysis of filmmaker strategies including compliance, self-censorship, and defiance.
• Application of Michel Foucault's power-knowledge concept to censorship.
• Examination of political "red lines" and their impact on creative expression.
• The role of international film festivals in shaping Chinese cinema's visibility and legitimacy.
• Social critique and artistic resistance within authoritarian contexts.

Excerpt from the Book

1. Introduction.

This thesis applies Michel Foucault's concept of power-knowledge to explore how censorship functions in contemporary Chinese cinema. Censorship is not merely repressive; it also defines what may be spoken. Here, power does not necessarily flow from above but often works in more subtle forms, such as self-censorship and internalized norms. As Foucault suggests, power is most effective when it becomes normalized and invisible. Filmmakers often preemptively adjust their creative choices, anticipating censorship without explicit directives. Censorship, therefore, influences not only what is visible on screen, but also what remains unrealized or unsaid.

To be publicly released in China, any film must obtain the official “Dragon Seal” ¹ of approval from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT). However, securing this approval is far from guaranteed, as final decisions rest with government censors². Films that broach sensitive political issues are in most danger of being censored and are typically subjected to strict screening or outright rejection. As director Lou Ye³ explains, navigating censorship involves a constant negotiation that undermines creative autonomy: "If you can manage to cope with the censorship and keep your originality as an author, your basic conditions as a human have been destroyed, because you have to figure out many solutions. How to cope with it, how to beat around the bush, to cheat on the censorship, how to detour to make the film approved and enter into the market. While all this work is a damage to the director's work, because apparently, you're playing a game of ideology, but the ideology game is never a part of the director's job4". Ye argues that although filmmakers may evade censorship through symbolic narration strategic ambiguity, or bureaucratic negotiation, such strategies inevitably compromise the artistic integrity and moral clarity of the director's vision. Negotiating censorship is a "game of ideology," one that forces the filmmaker to negotiate the logic and demands of state power. However, as Jia emphasizes, this political calculation runs counter to the director's true intention, which is to create intelligent, honest cinema—not to serve as a political actor.

In the literature, topics that are highly politically sensitive to authoritarian regimes, like China, have been referred to as "red lines" (Glasius et al.: 2018). This does not imply that such topics are necessarily prohibited entirely; rather, they require extreme caution in how they are addressed and with whom (Glasius et al.: 2018). Glasius et al. distinguish between two types of red lines: hard and fluid (Glasius et al.: 2018). Hard red lines refer to explicitly forbidden topics that are generally known in advance, even prior to fieldwork. These subjects pose direct threats to regime stability or lie at the heart of the state's core legitimizing narrative. Examples include public criticism of the Supreme Leader in Iran, the King in Morocco, the President in Kazakhstan, or the Politburo Standing Committee in China (Glasius et al.: 2018). In China, additional red lines concern sensitive issues related to ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Uyghur conflict, as well as sovereignty disputes involving Tibet and Taiwan (Glasius et al.: 2018). In contrast, fluid lines create a zone of ambiguity where bans are ill-defined and enforcement tends to be ad hoc. These fluid lines are more likely to involve matters regarding the extent to which government bureaucracies and regional politicians can be held accountable (Glasius et al.: 2018). Such ambiguity raises uncertainty, as punishment for crossing fluid boundaries may appear ad hoc and arbitrary (Glasius et al.: 2018). Together, these categories illustrate how authoritarian leaders like China deal with the dilemma of controlling sensitive issues and allowing limited discussion within bounded and tightly circumscribed limits.

Summary of Chapters

Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter introduces the research questions, objectives, and methodology, setting the stage for an in-depth analysis of censorship in Chinese cinema and how filmmakers navigate "political red lines."

Chapter 2: Theoretical Perspectives on Censorship in Chinese Cinema: This section reviews key theories on power, propaganda, and film control in authoritarian contexts, drawing on Michel Foucault's concept of power/knowledge to analyze censorship's dual role as a restrictive and productive force.

Chapter 3: The Sixth Generation of Chinese filmmakers: Urban Stories, Social Reality and Worldwide Awareness: This chapter explores the emergence, aesthetics, and global influence of the "Sixth Generation" of Chinese filmmakers who arose after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, focusing on their depiction of marginalized urban subjects and sensitive social issues.

Chapter 4: The Mechanism of State-sponsored Censorship: This chapter details the highly organized and comprehensive process of state censorship in contemporary Chinese cinema, examining the institutions, policies, and practices that control film content from pre-production to distribution.

Chapter 5: Case Studies of Chinese Movies on Controversial Subjects: This section analyzes four primary case studies—"Summer Palace," "Blind Mountain," "A Touch of Sin," and "Above the Dust"—to demonstrate how Chinese filmmakers use narrative strategies, allegory, and visual style to navigate and challenge censorship.

Chapter 6: Filmmaker's Strategies to Navigate Political Red Lines: This chapter shifts focus to the broader tactics directors employ, such as self-censorship, allegorical resistance, emotional realism, and strategic collaboration, to maintain creative integrity under authoritarian constraints.

Chapter 7: Discussion: Future Prospects for Chinese Cinema: This discussion reflects on the research findings, considering the implications for Chinese filmmaking, highlighting the tensions between state control and artistic recognition, and evaluating how these dynamics shape Chinese cinema globally.

Chapter 8: Conclusion: This final chapter summarizes the key findings, reiterating the intricate relationship between censorship and artistic expression in Chinese cinema, and discusses the study's contributions, methodological reflections, and implications for future research.

Keywords

Chinese cinema, censorship, authoritarian regimes, political red lines, self-censorship, Michel Foucault, power-knowledge, film festivals, artistic resistance, cultural production, propaganda, narrative strategies, Tiananmen Square, social critique.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fundamental topic of this work?

This work fundamentally explores the intricate relationship between state-sponsored censorship and contemporary Chinese cinema, focusing on how filmmakers navigate politically sensitive topics.

What are the central thematic areas?

The central thematic areas include the mechanisms of censorship, the strategies filmmakers employ (compliance, self-censorship, defiance), Foucault's concept of power-knowledge, and the impact of global recognition on Chinese cinema.

What is the primary objective or research question?

The primary objective is to critically examine the strategies Chinese filmmakers use to navigate state-sanctioned censorship while addressing politically sensitive subject matter.

What scientific method is employed?

The study employs a qualitative approach, combining close textual film analysis, discourse analysis of public interviews, and historical-institutional contextualization to understand censorship dynamics.

What is covered in the main body?

The main body delves into theoretical perspectives on censorship, the emergence and themes of the Sixth Generation filmmakers, the state's censorship mechanisms, and case studies of controversial Chinese films like "Summer Palace" and "A Touch of Sin."

What keywords characterize the work?

Key terms include Chinese cinema, censorship, authoritarian regimes, political red lines, self-censorship, Foucault, power-knowledge, film festivals, and artistic resistance.

How do filmmakers like Lou Ye and Jia Zhangke defy self-censorship?

Filmmakers like Lou Ye and Jia Zhangke defy self-censorship by openly confronting politically sensitive subjects, such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and by refusing to compromise their artistic vision, even at significant personal and professional risk.

What is the "Two-Track Cinema Model" and how does it relate to international film festivals?

The "Two-Track Cinema Model" describes the bifurcated reception of Chinese films: censored domestically but acclaimed internationally. International film festivals serve as alternative platforms, providing legitimacy and visibility for works suppressed within China, creating a "double life" for these films.

How does the concept of "fluid red lines" impact Chinese filmmakers?

"Fluid red lines" refer to ambiguous and inconsistently enforced censorship restrictions, creating uncertainty for filmmakers. This encourages self-censorship and forces directors to develop nuanced strategies to address sensitive themes without explicit directives, as the boundaries of what is permissible are unclear and arbitrary.

How do censored films gain international acclaim despite domestic bans?

Censored films gain international acclaim by premiering at global film festivals, which offer alternative venues for showcasing work and garnering prestige. This global recognition acts as a strategic counterweight to domestic silencing, transforming banned films into symbols of artistic defiance and political testimony for international audiences.

• College: Humboldt-University of Berlin
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Katarzyna Skorska (Author)
• Publication Year: 2025
• Pages: 94
• Catalog Number: V1672967
• ISBN (PDF): 9783389167564
• ISBN (Book): 9783389167571
• Language: English
• Tags: chinesecinema, censorshipfilm, censorshipcinema, chinesefilm, chinacensorship