Abstract This paper looks at one of the earliest empires in the Chinese Classical Civilization, the Ch?in, often referred to as the Qin. It explores how, although the dynasty did not last long, ranging from the years 221 B.C. to 207 B.C., during this time, many changes occurred, including the use of legalism to the start of the Great Wall. In particular, it shows how the first empire was not a long and successful one, but proved to be a great stepping-stone for the history of China and its progression into the modern world.
From the Paper "The quick rise to power was due to the Ch"in's ability to rapidly adjust to the Legalist philosophy. This was initiated under Lord Shang. Realizing that the growth of the Ch"in's power solely rested upon a more efficient and centralized bureaucratic structure, they had to remove themselves from feudalism. Lord Shang created a new aristocracy based on military merit. To support his military, he instituted a draft at the age of fifteen. In turn what this did was replace the chariot and cavalry warfare, with masses of peasant infantry armed with swords and crossbows."
Abstract This paper examines how, in the film "Casablanca" (1942), Michael Curtiz uses mise en scene through his use of contrasting costume, set composition, and character framing in Paris, Casablanca/Rick's Cafe, and the airport to develop the idea that one must put the past aside to reach success, as Rick does in the film. It looks at how, in order to show the audience the growth of Rick, Curtiz uses three points in time with dramatically different mise en scene. The audience is transported to France to visualize the days of Rick in high spirits with his love, Ilsa, after viewing his blase attitude in Rick's Cafe in Casablanca after he has lost her, and then finally realizing what he must do, not only for his personal life, but for the world at large once Ilsa has come into his life again.
From the Paper "By making contrasts between the scenes of Paris and the scenes in Rick's Cafe; in Casablanca, the director presents the audience with the contrasting sides of Rick. Dressed in a suit with a solid white jacket matched with solid black pants, the audience is now aware that after losing Ilsa, Rick is fighting his own inner-battles. Ilsa, dressed in a solid white dress, contrasts the dark blue pinstripe dress from France to show that she has also changed and is attempting to purify herself. However, her outfit is completed with a large brooch which is gaudy and showy, to put forth a front of wealth and contentment in her appearance. Yet the large size of the brooch signifies that she is concealing how she truly feels, be it in her feelings towards Rick or her fear of the German soldiers."
Abstract In 1793, the French government was in chaos and the revolution that brought Napoleon Bonaparte into authority was under way. Under his influence, the nation galvanized itself for a time, and Napoleon enjoyed many military successes. The levee en masse of 1793 was a watershed event in French history that led to conquests of Prussia and Austria, but which also ultimately led to Napoleon's downfall.
Discusses the Chinese Revolution primarily in terms of the actions and thoughts of Mao-Tse-Tung. Compares the ideas of Stuart R. Schram and Jerome Ch'en.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 2 sources, 1990, $ 47.95
From the Paper "The Chinese Revolution was a massive shift in social, political, cultural, and economic thinking and in the institutions of Chinese society. The Revolution was led by Mao Tse-Tung and his followers and took place in stages, putting certain Marxist and Leninist conceptions into practice in China and involving both a violent overthrow of the existing government and the long process of transforming Chinese society into a socialist enterprise. Different writers have examined these changes and the role of Mao in effecting them. Stuart Schram in Mao Tse-Tung (1966) examines the issue in terms of the man - his life, his education, his thinking, and how his view of the world was formed and would motivate his actions. Jerome Ch'.n in Mao and the Chinese revolution (1965) also considers the Revolution in terms of Mao and the development of his thinking, but he gives much more..."
Abstract This paper explains that the Chinese Communist uprising in Canton in 1927 was put down by Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-Shek, but it remains a seminal event in the development of China's present government. The author points out that the novel itself is a meditation on the revolutionary spirit, embodied most clearly in the main character, Ch'en, who sacrifices his life for his cause in order to achieve in death the unity with humanity that he missed in life.
A review of Andre Malraux's novel, "Man's Fate", illustrating the human realities and costs of war that have been depicted throughout Chinese literature.
Abstract This paper discusses Andre Malraux's novel, "Man's Fate", reflecting on the human emotions and conflicts that have characterized warfare for thousands of years. The paper describes the book as a powerful novel that depicts human loss, difficult decisions, and the conflict of ideologies.
From the Paper "The characters in Man's Fate each have their flaws and secrets, and these mirror those seen in humanity as a whole. As Ch'en murders for the first time, he fears for his own soul and sanity, and these fears allow him to complete the suicide bombing with such apparent exuberance. Ferral, in contrast, possesses a primal need for control that he acts out upon everything around him. Old Gisor's addiction to opium and his love for his son underlie his own emotions and actions, while Kyo's behavior stems from his patriotism and drive to fulfill his people's cause. Katov sacrifices himself in order to relive the suffering of his comrades before his own."
Abstract This paper examines Mao Zedong's rise to power in the Communist Party of China and focuses, in particular, how the Long March, in which Mao led some 130,000 men and women across 6,000 miles of China's countryside, actually promoted and solidified Mao's leadership.
From the Paper "Mao Zedong's leadership of 20th Century China has a heroic, almost mythic appeal to modern Communists, yet Chairman Mao cemented the majority of his power in the mid-1930s through a series of dramatic, forceful decisions. The greatest of these was a spectacular military campaign known as The Long March, in which Mao led some 130,000 men and women across 6,000 miles of China's countryside, losing nearly 120,000 of his soldiers to starvation and disease in the process. But by a magnificent twist of fate, instead of decimating him, the Long March proved his perseverance. It primarily created a mythology of Mao as Hero, but on more pragmatic terms it established a vital base of operations outside of the Kuomintang centers of power. It also strengthened his remaining army and roused support from a disgruntled peasant class who were later instrumental in shaping his mighty career."
This paper outlines Emperor Wen-ti's (581-604 C.E.) rise to power at the onset of the Sui dynasty in China beginning in 581 C.E. until its fall one emperor later in 617 C.E..
Abstract This paper explains that, after the period of dis-unification, Yan Chien proclaimed himself Emperor Wen-ti initiating the Sui dynasty, which was modeled after the earlier Han dynasty. The author points out that the Sui dynasty centralized Chinese power and returned an air of legitimacy to the imperial house; the principles of governance perfected during the Sui Dynasty remained ingrained in imperial China until its dissolution nearly 1,300 years later. The paper relates that Wen-ti chose to demolish the former capitol Ch'ang-an and rebuild it with the help of distinguished architect and engineer Yu-wen K'ai; Ch'ang-an would become not only the center of Chinese political thought but also the center of the Universe, presided over by the "Son of Heaven".
From the Paper "A man of great piety, Wen-ti actively nurtured the construction of Buddhist and Taoist temples and the recovering and re-copying of both religious and secular literature. To further the goals of unification Wen-ti issued decrees on the, "purification of Chinese literary style" (Wright 10). The Emperor offered charters to those willing to build Buddhist temples and both Wen-ti and his empress were to construct several, including one dedicated to her honor after her death in 603 CE. It is said that this temple was to house a tooth of the Buddha brought back by the pilgrim Fa-hsien from India in the fifth century (Wright 89). However pious, Wen-ti and his advisors also saw organized Buddhism as a force that needed constant monitoring in order to retain the Emperor's divine right of pronouncement on all matters of morality and public policy."
Abstract The films "Citizen Kane" and "Stagecoach," two examples of great Hollywood cinema, also serve to emphasise the importance of mise-en-scene in filmmaking. By contrasting these two films in terms of mise-en-scene themes such as good and evil, social climate and diagetic time. The essay also explores the technical aspects of film such as lighting, costuming and film angles.
From the Paper "The mise-en-scene is one of the most important elements in cinema. From French, it literally means, "putting on stage", and was first applied to theatre. A mise-en-scene in a film is everything that comprises the frame ? from lighting and costuming to set design, and has a significant impact on the meaning on the film. By looking at two films by way of example, Citizen Kane and Stagecoach, deconstruction is necessary to display how elements of mise-en-scene work to add to the story and tone of the pictures."
Abstract This paper examines the film, "Blue Velvet," directed by David Lynch. Specifically, it discusses mise-en-scene and cinematography in the film. It looks at how David Lynch is a master of the film noir, dark and brooding types of films that disturb, disquiet, and titillate, all at the same time, and how "Blue Velvet" is no exception. It discusses how the film is part blue porn flick, part girl-next-door love story, and part sadistic kidnapping, and how the elements all blend together to form a cohesive whole because of Lynch's masterful use of mise-en-scene staging and cinematography. "Blue Velvet," even with its happy ending, leaves the viewer wanting more, somehow and that, too, seems to be just what Lynch intended.
From the Paper "Mise-en-scene is a French term describing the "director's text" or staging of a film, and in "Blue Velvet," David Lynch's intricate and often surreal staging is an integral part of the film. He arranges space and time in the film with such dark and dreamlike qualities that the film can be nothing more than memorable and yet quite disturbing at the same time ? a true mark of Lynch's film and a tribute to his mise-en-scene. The most compelling visual motif in the film is of course the color blue. Lynch stages action around the color to keep it always in the memory of the viewers. The film opens with a sensuous scene of blue velvet fabric undulating on the screen, the theme continues from the background music to the clearly blue cigarette smoke issuing from the cigarettes of the characters, and in fact, Dorothy, the nightclub singer and sado-masochist, is known as "The Blue Lady" in her act."
A look at how the Chinese revolution influenced literature during the early 1900s specifically focusing on Lu Xun and his novel "The True Story of Ah Q".
Abstract The paper is an account of the Chinese revolution including Sun Yat-Sen, the Ch'ing Dynasty, the Wen Zi Yu laws , the Confucius way of thinking, and a biography of Lu Xun himself. It discusses how Lu Xun was able to capture the essence of the Chinese people during the revolutionary times. It also details the significance of Ah Q's name and its significance to the story. A major point that is made in this paper is how fictional Ah Q is a representation of Lu Xun's world, and how he represents the common man by giving many examples. It also demonstrates how Lu Xun's characters in "The True Story of Ah Q" represent the resistance and the promotion of the changes that were taking place in China during their revolution.
From the Paper "The last dynasty to ever rule in China was the Qing/Ch'ing Dynasty. This particular dynasty was very corrupt and did not meet the needs of its countrymen and women. "The Ch'ing dynasty was established by the Manchus, who invaded China and captured Beijing in 1644, and lasted until 1911. The term Ch'ing means "pure," and it was used to add legitimacy to an alien rule" (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001). It is ironic to see that the term Ch'ing means 'pure', because it was anything but pure. The Ch'ing dynasty had kept its people oppressed by not responding to their everyday needs. Literature was even under attack when the Wen Zi Yu laws went into effect. The Wen Zi Yu laws outlawed anybody to write anythng against the government, and it also let the government control what was acceptanble and what was unacceptable (Wikipedia Encyclopedia : online sorce). "
Tags: ah, ch, chao, confucianism, dynasty, freedom, liberation, lu, q, qing, ren, republic, sen, sun, wen, xun, yat, yu, zi
Abstract This paper examines how the study of art of the dynasties up to and through the Mongol Yuan dynasties involves the blending of art from the prior dynasties into the Yuan.
Outline
Thesis Statement
The By the Artist Approach
Ch'ien Hsuan
From the Paper "Cahill suggests in his writings, both the work cited and other volumes of his body of works, that perhaps the easiest manner for the Westerner to understand the full significance of Chinese Art through the Yuan dynasties is by the study of several of the artists of the periods involved. This therefore gives one a truer picture of what precisely the circumstances, pressures, social effects and other factors during the time of any given work's preparation. This becomes a vital key to the understanding of the whole scope, and a very large scope it is indeed, of this vast period of World history. A history too many Westerners know very little about and because of the circumstances now existing in China and Taiwan even the Chinese literate are beginning to loose sight of in their headlong rush into globalization. "
Abstract This paper examines the role of western imperialist countries in China and the different types of imperialism they tried to impose. The role of treaty ports are looked at, as are the major events in the imperialist period, such as the Opium Wars, the Treaty of Nanking, and the Silver Purchasing Act. It also pays particular attention to the role of the U.S., Russia and Japan in Chinese imperialist affairs. The modernisation process itself is looked at and also the reaction of the Chinese populace and the Ch'ing dynasty.
From the Paper "At the start of the imperialist period, the British motive for 'opening up' trade in China was driven by the desire and the need to be the dominant military and economic power in the world in order to secure its world hegemony, and in particular its economic hegemony. Britain wanted to 'open up' China "to ensure that India had the means of meeting her financial obligations to Britain, and to this end, markets were sought for Indian as well as for British exports" , in China and in other parts of the Far East, such as Burma and Malaysia. Other powers, however, such as Japan and Russia whilst wanting to open China up for the benefits which it potentially held for them in terms of trade, were also driven by a certain strategic element in their thinking. "
Abstract This alternative paper, which was originally an oral presentation, provides a review on the movie "Austin Powers: Gold Member." It includes infomation on comedy techniques and Mise-en-sen (film techiques).
From the Paper "Hello, my name is Marshall Deakin and on my right we have Tim Bryant. We directed the latest sequel in this series of humorous movies called "Austin Powers". Today I will be discussing the comedic techniques used in "Gold Member". Whilst Tim will be pointing out the finer points of Film Techniques used in this scene. As the directors of this film we believed that we should include as many humorous aspects as possible without over doing it. Because there are so many elements I will only be able to cover a small area of what is included in this scene. And here is the clip."
An exploration of the filmmaker's use of mise-en-scene and iconography to represent space, i.e. Las Vegas in the films "Ocean's 11", "Casino" and "Leaving Las Vegas".
Abstract This paper discusses how as Hollywood's entertainment counterpart, Las Vegas has been screened as a mecca for romance, crime, action and adventure. It shows how with its consumer expenditure and capital gain, its seductive neon lights, together with its surrounding vast desert, make it an ideal space for filmmakers to explore a diverse range of character types and narratives. It analyses how although all set in three different periods of time, the films "Ocean's 11", "Casino" and "Leaving Las Vegas" depict very different images of Las Vegas. It discusses how each film does this through the director's use of mise-en-scene and iconography and the values it holds and their use of time both outside of the film to create a period of time and within the film to correspond to the film's narrative.
From the Paper "Scorsese depicts a Vegas at a time when organized crime played a pivotal role in the ownership and running of the casinos. Behind the sexy showgirls, the enticing neon lights, the shining slot machines and the lucky blackjack tables, lives an underworld of greed, vengeance and power which he explores in his 1995 film Casino. In 1983, Ace Rothstein played by Robert De Niro is blown into a sky of flames and is dropped into the flashing neon lights of 1970's Las Vegas. The opening credits are supplied over a close up of the dots which combine to create a neon sign; very similar to the opening credits of Milestone's 1960's classic Ocean's 11, reminding us that these signs will take us into the glittering world of Vegas, where ?anything goes;? a world in which before Casino, has only ever been depicted through the eyes of the visitor."
Tags: nevada, urbanism, scorsese, hollywood, gambling, city
