Introduction
“Ju Dou” (1990), a Xi An Film Studio movie by director Zhang Yimou, is a tragic story of spousal abuse, adultery, lust and filial piety. The young, strong, and beautiful Ju Dou (Li Gong) becomes the third wife to her much older, physically and sexually abusive husband, dye mill owner Yang Jinshan (Wei Li), whose goal in life is to fulfill his filial piety by having a son, Tianbai (Yi Zhang). The couple live and work with Jinshan’s nephew, the younger, physically more attractive, but equally lustful Yan Tianqing (Baotian Li). Unfortunately for these main characters, they fail to pay attention to the old Chinese proverb, “Ten thousands evil deeds originate in lust and hundred acts of kindness begin in filial piety.” (Binghamton University, …show more content…
He grows up to be an unfriendly, “surly” boy who rarely smiles or speaks throughout the film. His eyes are persistently angry, cruel, and perhaps even murderous, even though “between father and son, there should be affection.” (Hwang 168) Furthermore, in familial relationship, there is an expectation of “kindness on the part of the father, and filial duty on that of the son.” (Hwang 169) Far too often, though, Jinshan does not show his “nominal” son any kindness, and only accepts him after Tianbai calls him “father” one day. In turn, Tianbai should be treating his elders with “obedience, submission, deference, loyalty and obedience to [their] instructions” (Hwang 169). Instead, the boy has no love or respect for either “fathers”. However, while playing with the boy, Jinshan accidentally drowns after falling into the liquid dye in his own mill. After Jinshan’s death, the boy’s rage is turned on villagers who gossip about his mother and his “uncle”. As a teenager, he catches his mother and “uncle” resting after making love in a cellar. In a state of uncontrollable rage, Tianbai drags them out and drowns his biological father to death, thus violating his most sacred filial piety towards his biological
“Ju Dou” (1990), a Xi An Film Studio movie by director Zhang Yimou, is a tragic story of spousal abuse, adultery, lust and filial piety. The young, strong, and beautiful Ju Dou (Li Gong) becomes the third wife to her much older, physically and sexually abusive husband, dye mill owner Yang Jinshan (Wei Li), whose goal in life is to fulfill his filial piety by having a son, Tianbai (Yi Zhang). The couple live and work with Jinshan’s nephew, the younger, physically more attractive, but equally lustful Yan Tianqing (Baotian Li). Unfortunately for these main characters, they fail to pay attention to the old Chinese proverb, “Ten thousands evil deeds originate in lust and hundred acts of kindness begin in filial piety.” (Binghamton University, …show more content…
He grows up to be an unfriendly, “surly” boy who rarely smiles or speaks throughout the film. His eyes are persistently angry, cruel, and perhaps even murderous, even though “between father and son, there should be affection.” (Hwang 168) Furthermore, in familial relationship, there is an expectation of “kindness on the part of the father, and filial duty on that of the son.” (Hwang 169) Far too often, though, Jinshan does not show his “nominal” son any kindness, and only accepts him after Tianbai calls him “father” one day. In turn, Tianbai should be treating his elders with “obedience, submission, deference, loyalty and obedience to [their] instructions” (Hwang 169). Instead, the boy has no love or respect for either “fathers”. However, while playing with the boy, Jinshan accidentally drowns after falling into the liquid dye in his own mill. After Jinshan’s death, the boy’s rage is turned on villagers who gossip about his mother and his “uncle”. As a teenager, he catches his mother and “uncle” resting after making love in a cellar. In a state of uncontrollable rage, Tianbai drags them out and drowns his biological father to death, thus violating his most sacred filial piety towards his biological