BEIJING, Jan. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on Marvel's first Chinese hero:
With the passing of Stan Lee last year, it was reported that one of his unfulfilled wishes was to see the well-known Marvel character and kung fu master Shang-Chi, created in the 1970s, appear on the big screen. Now the film is in the works, and it will be the first Marvel Studios production with a Chinese superhero as its protagonist.
In the original comic, Shang-Chi's sole "superpower" is his mastery of martial arts fighting and meditation skills, as well as various cold weapons. He later becomes one of the masters who trains Spider-Man. His appearance and movement were modeled after Bruce Lee, the Chinese kung fu megastar who gained widespread popularity in Hollywood starting in the 1970s, and of whom Stan Lee was reportedly a big fan.
A classic figure from the Shang-Chi comic is likely to cause controversy in the making of the film, however, is his father, Dr. Fu Manchu. With narrow eyes and dark eyebrows, and a treacherous and deceitful personality, Fu Manchu is a composite of negative Chinese stereotypes shaped by various Western cultural products for nearly a hundred years. The character represents the West's misunderstanding, fear and discrimination against people from the East at the beginning of the 20th century, and could still be said to influence Westerners' perceptions of the Chinese even today.
The appearance of such a figure in the film would undoubtedly be inappropriate in today's climate – even if he appears as a villain. Coupled with copyright issues, it is likely Marvel Studios will modify the setting for this part.
Of course, we will be happy to see such modifications, and naturally we would also like to see Shang-Chi portrayed as a protagonist with humanity and a unique aura, rather than a one-dimensional kung fu machine or an American-born Chinese superhero. Last year, Marvel's "Black Panther" achieved both box office success and popular accolades by sincerely depicting elements of African culture. If Marvel Studios wants to repeat that success, it also needs to seriously study Asian and Chinese cultures. The name Shang-Chi itself has the meaning of "spirit rising" in Chinese. We expect that he will carry the spirit and philosophy of Chinese traditional martial artists. At the same time, we also hope that he will face complex motivations, troubles and growth in his development as a character, no less than the popular white superheroes.
Marvel Studios is looking for directors and actors who are Asian or of Asian descent. We genuinely hope this film will become another breakthrough success following on "Black Panther." After all, audiences, too, are eager to see more and more diversified cultural elements represented on the big screen.
China Mosaic
https://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm
Marvel's first Chinese hero: Kung fu and beyond
https://www.china.org.cn/video/2019-01/10/content_74358802.htm
About China.org.cn
Founded in 2000, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn/China.com.cn) is a key state news website under the auspices of the State Council Information Office, and is managed by China International Publishing Group. We provide round-the-clock news service in ten languages. With users from more than 200 countries and regions, we have become China's leading multi-lingual news outlet introducing the country to the outside world.
We are one of the country's authoritative outlets for government press releases and are authorized to cover various major events. "Live Webcast" is our online webcasting service to present State Council Information Office press conferences in both Chinese and English languages. We are reputed for timely and accurate delivery of news and information, and wide interactions with audiences. In addition, we are authorized to publish and live broadcast major events and press conferences of ministries, local government agencies and institutions as well as enterprises.
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In the future, CIIC will continue to offer authoritative information about China, tell China's stories, voice China's opinions, and introduce a vivid, panoramic and multicultural China to the world through multi-language, multi-media and multi-platforms.
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