The Emperor's Shadow Essay

The Emperor’s Shadow is a Chinese epic drama depicting Emperor Ying Zheng’s attempts to unify China, his relationship with the musician Gao Jianli, and his attempt to take control of the arts to further his cause. While a tendency towards melodrama is prevalent throughout the film, it maintains an authenticity that is often absent from contemporary American cinema. In comparison to foreign film, the American industry seems to be plagued with an overreliance on visual rhetoric, choosing to polish the form with grandiose effects to divert attention away from the subject matter’s overall lack of meaning. While The Emperor’s Shadow is by no means without grandiose moments, such moments are used in a way that pays tribute to the extravagant nature of traditional China. The elaborate scenery and dramatic characters give the viewers an understanding of the deep respect China has for its history, creating the impression that the viewers are experiencing a national folk tale play out. While a modern story told in this way might seem unrealistic, in this context of Ancient China, it adds a cultural flavor …show more content…
Of this music, the most prominently featured instrument is the guqin, a Chinese zither with seven strings. This is Gao Jianli’s instrument of choice, and it’s soothing sound signifies the peaceful world Jianli envisions. Throughout the film, the guqin calms a young Ying Zheng as he awaits execution, provides Jianli with a form of meditation, plays a role in the seduction of Princess Yueyang, and is used to compose the Chinese anthem intended to help unify China. The fact that the Emperor is able to succeed in using this instrument to justify his violent quest for power creates a bitter irony at the conclusion of the film. In this way, the music of China is not only functions as a component of the plot, but as a motif for