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  • Essay / Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Cinematic Masterpiece

    Director Ang Lee gives audiences an effective insight into Confucianism, the culture explored in the film where moral codes and respect for the natural order are key values. This film provides insight into a culture that embodies beliefs and values ​​different from our own Christian principles. This proves extremely effective as it allows the audience to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of Confucianism as well as their own culture through the film's metalanguage and cinematic conventions. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is a 2000s Wuxia film about Li Mu Bai, a great warrior who decides to hand over his sword, the Green Destiny, to a treasured friend, Sir Te. When the sword is stolen by Jen, a key female character, it is up to him to recover it while trying to avenge the death of his master who was killed by Jen's master, the evil Jade Fox. The film explores Jens' journey up to the moment she steals the sword, and then as she ventures through China and discovers herself, her beliefs and her values. The beliefs and values ​​that the main characters in this film adhere to their culture and subvert are the idea of ​​repressing inner conflicts, talents and passions to cover up a reserved exterior, which is particularly evident in Jade Fox as she fights against the restrictions placed on women who I also want to play Wudan. Another value illustrated in the film is that social obligations and external constraints can limit an individual's potential, personal freedom and sense of individuality, as shown by Li Mu Bai, as well as the belief that loyalty will lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment which, in one sense, one way or another is represented by all the characters in the film. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"?Get an original essayAudiences can appreciate the Confucius value of "appearance and reality", believed to be able to suppress inner conflicts and hide talents and passions that may not be accepted in their philosophical religion. In Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, women place a special importance on their appearance as a religion. Confucianism suggests that women should study and learn how to manage their homes, observe etiquette, and respect law-abiding relationships to be willing to do anything to help their husbands and families. This value is reflected by the villain Jade Fox. We learn that Fox does not want to embody these characteristics that his culture directs him towards and so has an affair with Chiang Nan-he (a master of Wudan fighting) in an attempt to learn the secrets of this art. This was not the case however, Jade was exploited and denied teaching simply because of her gender. Her response to this was to kill him, prove his worth, and steal the book describing the secrets of Wudan. Ang Lee demonstrates this value in his scenes through visuals and dialogue. An important scene in the film that accurately depicts this value and uses these elements occurred after Jade Fox poisoned Li Mu Bai and expressed her opinion about her master and their society. She said, "Your master underestimated women! I was good enough to sleep with, but not good enough to teach." During this scene, close camera angles were used to express her emotions and the conflicting opinions she holds about women's roles. This angle and dialogue effectively encourages the audience to understand Jade's emotional and damaging experiences with her culture's beliefs, and therefore appreciate their own, becausethis is why it must adopt its own value of appearance and reality. As we see, Fox and his struggles play an important role in this film which proves to be an effective way of expressing to the audience their appreciation of the freedom to have their own values ​​versus the forced value of their appearance in a Confucius culture. The value of appearance and reality was effectively illustrated in this film. The idea that social obligations and external constraints will limit an individual's potential, personal freedom and sense of individuality is a Confucian belief embodied in the film that Western audiences can recognize and appreciate. In the film, it is evident that society and external complications restrict the characters in their own freedom of choice, constantly testing their faith and morality. This is particularly depicted in the character of Li Mu Bai who, throughout the film, attempts to escape a violent lifestyle by hiding behind his religion. However, everything changes after Jen steals the sword and he is forced to get it back to ensure it is in the right hands. This returns him to a vehement lifestyle limiting his personal freedom as it forces him to pursue the life he was hypothetically running from. Ang Lee conveys this value through many intense scenes where high camera angles and dramatic music create a compelling and engaging perspective. An example that actively illustrates how Li Mu Bai was limited in his opinions and feelings due to social obligations was that of his final moments with Shu Lien. The high camera angles add to the intensity of the scene as Li Mu Bai says "I have already ruined my whole life. I want to tell you with my last breath that I have always loved you." The camera angle of this scene and the dramatic music playing in the background help the audience respond to the belief depicted, allowing them to appreciate their own beliefs and the freedom they have in their own culture, which proves effective. The audience had the opportunity to appreciate and expand their knowledge of the culture conveyed in the film through the camera angles and melodramatic music that accurately illustrated its belief that outside sources can limit personal freedom and the feeling of individuality. This belief was once again conveyed effectively throughout the film. The film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon accurately portrayed to audiences an important value explored in their culture that loyalty will lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment. Throughout the film, acts of loyalty and high morals are displayed between the characters. In particular, Jen and Forbidden Love Lo have great trust in each other and the desire to one day be happy together, despite the distance and barrier that separates them. Confucianism revolves around considering the involvement of each individual in a community or with each other as the means to flourish. A demonstration of loyalty leading to fulfillment is when Lo tells Jen "a faithful heart makes wishes come true". Lo's wish refers to him and Jen being together again, which, in juxtaposition with Confucius' belief, is happiness after leading a fulfilling existence. Ang demonstrates this fidelity in these scenes through the use of radiant and incandescent lighting. This creates an overwhelming desire to live a similar lifestyle and effective insight into their culture, accurately depicting this belief that if it is fulfilled, you will be as happy as these characters. The director effectively portrayed this belief of Confucius that loyalty leads to fulfillment at.