Film Adaptation Of Ancient Chinese Literature (1914-1930)

Since the Zhuangzi Tests His Wife in 1914,Chinese film has been inextricably linked with ancient literature.In the mid-1920 s,early Chinese cinema gradually discovered the hidden cultural treasures in ancient literature.With the discussion of ancient films and historical films,film adaptation of ancient literature was pushed to the forefront of commercial competition.Though the commercial wave of ancient-costume films soon became silent,the adaptation of ancient literature did not disappear due to the obsolescence of genre films.The adaptation boom appears from time to time,which prove that the adaptation of ancient literature is an important part of Chinese cinema.Looking into early Chinese cinema from the perspective of adaptation,perhaps it is possible to understand the complex relationship between Chinese film and literature.The main part of this thesis is four chapters.The first two chapters organze the early historical context of Chinese film adaptation of ancient literature,and the latter two chapters analyze the specific cases of adaptation.The first chapter explores the early creations of the film adaptation of ancient literature from 1914 to 1924.This period presents features such as single company,fragmented creation,and personal interest drive.First,the author discusses the source text and innovations of Zhuangzi Tests His Wife.Later,due to a variety of factors,Chinese films were alienated from ancient literature.Until the 1920 s,the Film Department of the Commercial Press re-launched the exploration.His three feature films,Xiao Fu Geng(1922),Huangshan de Jin(1923)and Lianhua Luo(1923),concerned with family relations,personal adventures,and urban-rural opposition,are disenchanted in the sense of enlightenment in the adaptation,which provides important templates and coordinate references for subsequent adaptations.Compared with the neglect and depreciation of the traditional history of Chinese films,the author regards the adaptation of the Commercial Press' s Film Department as an indicator of the adaptation of ancient literature,and is also an important representation of the diversity of early Chinese films.The second chapter organizes the complex relationship between the film adaptation of ancient literature and the wave of costume films in the middle and late 1920 s.The adaptation of ancient literature was first noticed because of the discussion of historical films.Under the influence of the adaptation of folk stories such as Liang Zhu tong shi(1926),the genre of ancient film was popular,and a large number of adaptations of ancient literature were produced.However,the adaptation of ancient literature became fashionable for a time owing to genre films,from which it broke through the bindings,and became a type of supergenre.After the baptism of genre films,the film adaptation of ancient literature was initially formed.The third chapter takes The Spider Cave(1927)as an example.Through exploring the source text,it is found that in addition to the original novel,the film adaptation also refers to Kunqu Opera work of the same name.By comparing the film text with the novel text and the opera text,we can see that The Spider Cave inherits the body beauty and desire representation in source texts.The originality of the film is that the wedding scene of the group of magical celebrations has transplanted and transcended the original texts.By simulating traditional Chinese wedding customs,the film achieves alternative modernities in the collective carnival.The fourth chapter takes Western Chamber(1927)as an example.Starting from the doubts of the existing copy,the author studies the adaptation and finds that it abandoned Book the Fifth of the Romance of the West Chamber.Then I compare the differences between the copy and the special issue of West Chamber,and conclude that the existing copy is a re-edited European version,which is clearly different from the original appearance of the film.After analyzing the modification and filling of the existing copy,it can be imagined that the original appearance of the film is a combination of classical and modern aspects.This is not only reflected in the garden space,the costume set and the actors' performance,but also reflected in the film's reference to the modern novel "The Western Chamber of the Vernacular".Borrowing,it is also reflected in the Avengers who are "reborn" in Zhang Sheng's dream.The conclusion is that there are two major paths in the early film adaptation of ancient literature.One is "modernization" and the other is "classicalization".These two paths gradually merge into each other.The adaptation of ancient literature and modern literature and art are closely combined and become a unique reappearance of Chinese reality.To review the early Chinese films from the perspective of adaptation,the author put forward three major problems that need to be solved in the adaptation of ancient literature.1.The organizing of the history of film adaptation,and the re-evaluation of adapted works.2.The historical criticism characteristics and re-evaluation of relevant criticisms.3.In-depth study of the adaptation mechanism and summary of the experience and theory of adaptation,and so on.The ancient literature adaptation of early films,even though relatively crude,is still a mirror of Chinese culture,reflecting the complex situation of modern China: both a contrast to Western culture and a response to the enlightenment in the May 4th New Cultural Movement.It is not only a reproduction of ancient literature,but also a reflection of modern literature and art.It is undoubtedly of great value to study the early film adaptation of ancient literature.