Study On The Historiography Of Early Chinese Films (Before1949)

Early Chinese films developed from nothing and gradually became mature, which was the embodiment of numerous filmmakers’sweat and wisdom and also the fruit created by common people, intelligentsia and authority together. In an era when politics and economy was changing rapidly and the society was in turbulence, early Chinese films constantly overcame their shortcomings and intervention from the external world, adapted themselves to the changing times and met the needs of the public by virtue of art, thus created a history of attempt, fight and exploration. Given that the history of early Chinese films played an important and special role in the progress of Chinese films, it has always been the concern of contemporary film historians, especially when the appeal for "rewriting film history" is becoming more and more desperate. At present, the study on the history of early Chinese films has become the focus of disputation and research. In this context, the value and significance of studying the historiography of early Chinese films became prominent.If historical research is regarded as a process for human beings to review their objective and historical existence, then historiography research is a double reflection based on humans’historic reflection, and the historiography of films is film historian’s reflection on the history of films. Film history and film historiography is more than simple mechanical labor that records the development process of film history and film historiography. Instead, it is an interdisciplinary based on filmology and history. In view of the integrity and popularity of film art, its historical research is inevitably built on the history of economy, politics, society, culture, ideology and other kinds of art. As a result, the task of film historiography is to explore the law of the development of early Chinese films as well as the changes and progress of historical consciousness that were represented in the law by excavating and collecting historical materials, in an attempt to find out the unique methods applied in Chinese film historiography.This paper consists of seven chapters. The purpose of the research was to build a criss-cross historical structure for the studies of early Chinese films, so as to put these studies in a complete time period and an interlaced social network. In the introduction, the basis, orientation and significance of the research, and the research methods and research achievements were discussed. In Chapter One, the elements that promoted the birth of Chinese film historiography were expounded from the perspective of evolution from history to historical materials and to historiography. It was discussed in Chapter Two the self-awareness of film historiography that was raised due to the stimulation of film culture and print culture, which gradually evolved in the mid of1920s, and its results of exploration under the guidance of entertainment and commercial awareness. It was elaborated in Chapter Three the features and the value of the compilations of the history of films which were born in the context of "historiography" between1927and1933, and the multiple attempts that were made in the history of early Chinese film historiography by the compilations of the history of films, the compilations of the history of films beyond Shanghai and the compilations of the history of foreign films. Chapter Four focuses on the influence on the research into the history of films exerted by a series of construction strategies about film culture that were implemented after Nanjing government of Nationalist Party was established, as well as the research achievement from "compiling" to "composing" the history of films under the influence of these strategies. It was discussed in Chapter Five that the research on the history of films during the Anti-Japanese War was controlled by different ideologies with the changes of political patterns and hence showed different features, such as utilitarian and technicality. Chapter Six put the emphasis on the recovery and reform of Chinese film historiography during the period of Liberation War, the way in which it became academic again and its achievements. It was explored in Chapter Seven the role that the history of early Chinese film historiography played in history and its practical significance from three perspectives, that is, historical documents, film culture and the historiography of national films.