Chinese martial arts flourish at İstanbul Film Festival
9 April 2012 / ZHUYING SHI, İSTANBUL
Celebrating the 2012 China Culture Year in Turkey, the İstanbul Film Festival -- running from March 31 to April 15 -- is showing eight of the best Chinese kung fu films, which display martial arts with stunning fight scenes, breathtaking backdrops and intriguing plots, inspired by events from Chinese history.
Turkish audiences are no stranger to kung fu films, which have served as a window to introduce Turkey to Chinese cinema at large, with names such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Donnie Yen.
Speaking to Today’s Zaman, Tuba Saka, Chinese kung fu film aficionado, said she has watched every Jackie Chan film. “Jackie Chan plays heroes with amazing martial skills and a kind, soft heart. And most of his films are really funny. I am a big fan of his,” Saka said.
“The organizers of the İstanbul Film Festival chose to screen Chinese kung fu films because kung fu is the most popular Chinese genre in Turkey,” Yu Jian, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy, told Today’s Zaman.
Chinese kung fu films display the culture of traditional Chinese martial arts. Chinese history is full of a certain type of chivalrous hero who traveled the land and used martial skills to right wrongs, help the poor and do good works for society. Historical documents, literature and folktales in China tell vivid, reverent stories about kung fu masters.
According to Dr. James J. Y. Liu, professor of Chinese literature at Stanford University, ancient Chinese poet Jia Dao (A.D. 779-843) from the Tang Dynasty is one good example of the spirit of a kung fu master: “For 10 years I have been polishing this sword; Its frosty edge has never been put to the test. Now I am holding it and showing it to you, sir: Is there anyone suffering from injustice?”
Wang Qun, researcher from the China Film Art Research Center, talked about the culture of Chinese martial arts in kung fu films in an interview with Today’s Zaman. Wang said the spirit of Chinese kung fu is not just about martial arts skills. “Kung fu masters use martial arts to enforce justice and establish peace. Just as ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said: ‘Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself makes you fearless,’ Chinese Kung fu masters follow strict discipline and the code of the hero -- righteousness, honor, repaying benefactors after receiving favors and upholding justice. Chinese kung fu masters do not love fighting, and they do not use violence unless there is no other way to resolve a problem. They do not use martial arts for personal gain but to achieve the greater good,” Wang said.
Analyzing why Turkish audiences love Chinese kung fu films, Wang said that kung fu films are very romantic -- most of the kung fu masters are accompanied on their adventures by beautiful maidens and they get married and live happily after defeating evil. This appeals to Turks, who themselves are very romantic. Wang added that the values in Chinese martial arts -- forgiveness, compassion and a prohibition on killing -- have a lot in common with Islamic virtues, which may resonate with Turkish audiences.
The films showing at the İstanbul Film Festival from April 9-15 are Best Foreign Language Oscar winner “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Fearless,” “The Bride with White Hair,” “House of Flying Daggers,” “Hero,” “Reign of Assassins,” “Warriors from the Magic Mountain” and “Ashes of Time Redux.”
On April 9, representatives from the Chinese film industry held a panel discussion called “Tiger at the Movies: Wuxia” at the Akbank Art Center in Beyoğlu to discuss Chinese Kung fu films with Turkish audiences. Speaking to Today’s Zaman, executive director of the China Film Producers Association Ming Zhenjiang said he hoped Chinese kung fu films serve as a cultural bridge that helps to increase Turkish audiences’ understanding of China.
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