Shaping Memory: Representations of the Korean War in Chinese Films

Abstract

Compared with other media, film serves as an indispensable visual medium for shaping memories, and this holds true for the remembrance of the Korean War as well. This article surveys the narrative strategies and visual symbols used in Chinese films depicting the Korean War across different periods, aiming to explore how these films contribute to the construction of historical memory and portray cultural metaphor. Building on Maurice Halbwachs’s theory of Collective Memory and other related memory theories, this study primarily employs text analysis as the main method and selects a total of 32 Chinese feature films depicting the Korean War from the 1950s to the present as the research sample. The investigation has revealed that the films depicting the Korean War produced in China have completed the construction of memory through a process of "record," "reconstruction," and "continuation." Furthermore, during different periods, the representation of the war in these films goes beyond a mere replication of historical sources. Instead, it is constructed within a framework of social discourse schema and historical narratives consistent with the political and economic context of each era. These memories provide insights into the "spirit of the times" or the political propaganda, offering an analytical lens on the collective consciousness and cultural climate of that era. Currently, those films tend to emphasize the significance of "peace" in memory construction, highlighting the image of the Chinese military as a "virtuous and righteous" force. This reflects creators’ thinking on the concept of a community of human destiny in the context of globalization, and also conveys the long-term vision of examining history and building the future.