The Forbidden Kingdom
I just saw the movie “The Forbidden Kingdom” today. As its original title “Kings of Kongfu” suggests, it’s a movie about the Chinese Kongfu. Jet Li and Jackie Chan are the very two top Kongfu movie stars nowadays. It is quite suitable for them to be called kings of Kongfu.
This movie not only tells a typical Kongfu story in which heroes save the world again, it also shows some aspects of the Chinese culture that might be difficult for westerners to understand. It alludes to the Chinese myths and legends, shows figures in popular Chinese novels, and demonstrates a grain of Chinese philosophy.
For instance, it talks about the true meaning of Kongfu. Kongfu is not only martial arts or fight skills. It means arts and skills of all kinds. It represents time and effort. It needs wisdom and perseverance. A painter has Kongfu. His paintings make people think they are real. A poet has Kongfu. His lines can touch the most stonehearted man. A musician has Kongfu. His melodies bridge heaven and the earth. A true Kongfu master does not kill people. He moves people. Just like the water. Water is soft and formless. Yet nothing can beat it. Water flows on for thousands of years, and even the hardest rock will be holed by water.
These thoughts were written in the first Chinese books thousands of years ago. Other things were created only in the recent years. For example, the bride with white hair is a fictional figure in a popular martial arts novel. At the beginning she was very beautiful. Then she fell in love with a young man. However, his family would not accept her because she was brought up by a bunch of evil people. They separated the two young lovers, made her believe that he had abandoned her and even tried to kill her. She was so left in despair that her beautiful black hair turned white overnight and she totally lost trust in men. That was why she said in the movie, “men are all deceivers.” However, this part is pruned in the final version of the movie in order to keep the main storyline clear. What a pity!
In short, this movie is well worth watching in the cinema. It is probably more faithful to Chinese culture than many other Hollywood production. Watch, think, and enjoy!
