Be the Chinese the Japanese Thinks You Are - Part 1 | Video Essay

Summary

This video explores Japan's fascination with China through historical epics and martial arts cinema. From ancient myths like Xu Fu to Japanese adaptations of Chinese stories such as *Kingdom* and kung fu-inspired films like *Shaolin Girl*, it highlights the long-standing cultural exchange between the two nations. Japan has historically drawn inspiration from Chinese history, aesthetics, and Hong Kong cinema, reshaping stories and styles to create its own cultural expressions. The video also examines reciprocal influence, showing how Japanese media once shaped Hong Kong films. Through humor, pop culture references, and historical context, the series reveals the complex, intertwined cultural relationship that continues to inspire media today.

Takeaways

• 🍜 Ramen is considered a Chinese-style dish in Japan, despite being labeled Japanese worldwide.
• 🎬 Japan has a long-standing fascination with China, influencing media, film, and aesthetics.
• 📚 Japanese adaptations of Chinese historical stories, like the Three Kingdoms and Warring States period, have been popular for centuries.
• ⚔️ The film 'Kingdom' is a live-action shonen set in China, chosen for its grand scale and historical backdrop.
• 🧙‍♂️ Japanese mythology sometimes traces Japan's origins back to China through legends like Xu Fu.
• ✈️ Between 630-894 AD, Japan sent envoys to Tang China to acquire knowledge, shaping its classical culture.
• 🎨 Japan historically outpaced China in certain cultural productions, like anime and feature films based on Chinese legends.
• 🥋 The 2008 film 'Shaolin Girl' reflects Japan’s continued fascination with Hong Kong martial arts cinema and kung fu culture.
• 📉 Japanese cinema experienced a Golden Age in the 50s-60s but later declined, while Hong Kong cinema rose to international prominence.
• 🌏 Cultural exchange between China, Japan, and Hong Kong is cyclical, with stories, aesthetics, and techniques constantly influencing each other.
• 🏯 Many Japanese films and media set in China are a way for Japan to explore grand historical narratives and their own cultural identity.
• 🎥 Japan and Hong Kong mutually influenced each other's film industries, often adapting each other’s styles and stories.

Q & A

Why is ramen considered a Chinese-style dish in Japan?

Ramen originated from China and was introduced to Japan, where it retained its Chinese culinary label. Many ramen shops in Japan even use Chinese-style décor to emphasize its exotic roots.

What is the historical significance of Xu Fu in Japanese culture?

Xu Fu, an alchemist from China's Qin dynasty, is said in legend to have traveled to Japan with knowledge of agriculture and warfare. This story, though likely fictional, symbolizes Japan’s cultural admiration and historical connection to China.

Why does the Japanese manga and film 'Kingdom' choose China as its setting?

China provides a large-scale historical stage for epic storytelling. Ancient Chinese wars involved vast armies and long periods of conflict, allowing for grand narratives that Japan’s own history might not easily accommodate.

How has Chinese culture historically influenced Japan?

From 630 to 894, Japan sent envoys to Tang China (kentōshi) to study writing, religion, medicine, and art. This exchange shaped Japan's classical identity, including language, culture, and even the adoption of the name Nihon.

What role did Japan play in the development of Hong Kong cinema?

Japanese filmmakers assisted Hong Kong productions in the 1950s and 60s, such as co-producing 'Princess Yang Kwei-fei.' Later, Hong Kong cinema rose to prominence with the influence of Japanese techniques and aesthetics.

How does 'Shaolin Girl' reflect Japan’s fascination with Hong Kong cinema?

'Shaolin Girl' follows a Japanese woman trained in Shaolin Kung Fu and contains many homages to classic martial arts films. It exemplifies Japan's admiration for Hong Kong action cinema, blending it with Japanese storytelling.

Why did Japanese audiences poorly receive 'Shaolin Girl' despite its homage to kung fu films?

Despite its references and martial arts content, the film’s execution did not resonate with audiences. Japanese critics rated it the second worst film of the 2000s, likely due to both cinematic quality and a changing cultural landscape in Japan.

What patterns of cultural exchange exist between Japan, China, and Hong Kong?

Chinese stories became adapted in Japan, Japanese filmmakers helped develop Hong Kong cinema, and Hong Kong films later inspired Japanese works. This demonstrates a continuous, reciprocal influence between these cultures over centuries.

How has Japan incorporated Chinese history and mythology into popular media?

Japan has produced adaptations of the Three Kingdoms, Warring States period stories, and myths like Xu Fu’s journey. These narratives appear in anime, manga, and films, often reimagined with Japanese storytelling techniques and aesthetics.

What does the repeated use of China as a setting in Japanese media suggest about Japanese culture?

It indicates a fascination with scale, aesthetics, and epic narratives. China is seen as a cultural and historical 'stage' that allows Japan to explore grand stories, reflecting admiration and an intertwined cultural identity.

How did Japan’s Golden Age of cinema in the 1950s and 60s compare to later decades?

During the Golden Age, Japanese films like Kurosawa's works gained worldwide acclaim. By the 70s and 80s, the industry declined due to television, shifting culture, and studio struggles, while Hong Kong cinema rose to global prominence.

Why might Japanese filmmakers choose China over Japan for historical epics?

China’s history offers large-scale wars, prolonged conflict, and rich mythology, providing an expansive backdrop for storytelling. Japan’s own history, while significant, may not offer the same scale for epic narratives.