Detailed Notes on Chinese Melodrama and the Wenyi Genre

Overview of Wenyi Pian

• Definition: Wenyi pian (wenyi genre) refers to melodramas in Chinese cinema, literally meaning ‘literature’ (wen) and ‘art’ (yi) combined with ‘film’ (pian).
• Characteristics:
  • Sentimental and exaggerated narratives, often centered around romance or female protagonists.
  • Broadly includes love stories, women’s pictures, and literary adaptations, especially popular works by authors like Eileen Chang and Qiong Yao.

Historical Context

• Origins:

  • Developed from wenming xi (translated as ‘civilised dramas’) in early 20th century China, influenced by Japanese shimpa (new drama).
  • Early films drew on melodramatic narratives emphasizing love, crime, and societal issues.

• Evolution:

  • Significant growth during Shanghai's post-war period (1946-1949), marked by productions from the Wenhua Company.
  • Relocation to Hong Kong and Taiwan post-civil war, with a focus primarily on Hong Kong cinema in this analysis.

Key Features of Wenyi Pian

• Main Focus: Romantic narratives often involving strong female leads.
• Common Tropes:
  • Weak Male Heroes: Persistent archetypes of sensitive male lead characters often depicted as weak or sickly, seen in classics like Spring in a Small Town (1948) by Fei Mu.
  • Strong Female Leads: Female characters often display inner strength juxtaposed with societal constraints, a dynamic embodied in the concept of the ‘wenyi madonna’.

Example of Wenyi Pian

• Spring in a Small Town:
  • Explores themes of fidelity, longing, and societal expectations.
  • Features a love triangle, highlighting the tension between duty and desire.
  • The film's setting and narrative structure establish it as a quintessential wenyi film.

Cultural Significance

• Impact on Society:
  • Served as a reflection of societal norms and issues regarding women’s roles and male portrayals in mid-20th century Chinese cinema.

Decline and Revival of the Genre

• Changing Times:
  • 1960s witnessed a shift towards martial arts films, leading to a decline of the wenyi genre.
  • Recent films from directors like Wong Kar-wai signify a resurgence, blending classic themes with contemporary storytelling.
• Notable Modern Films:
  • In the Mood for Love (2000): Explores the complexities of romance and fidelity with a strong emphasis on qing (emotion).
  • Happy Together (1997) and others show the adaptability of the genre in addressing modern concepts of love and identity.

Gender and Sexuality in Wenyi Pian

• Postmodern Exploration:
  • Modern directors have redefined gender roles within the genre, incorporating LGBTQ themes and addressing female empowerment more directly, as seen in works by Stanley Kwan.

Conclusion

• Continued Evolution:
  • The wenyi genre continues to adapt to societal changes while retaining its core characteristics, demonstrating its timeless appeal to audiences across generations.