Guanxi Master

How redefining ancient stereotypes is becoming a national trend

Shanghainese children have been tuning in to the new cartoon “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” in droves. With well-crafted storylines, gratuitous fight scenes, and a “battle-axe-wielding Barbarians v. Samurai-sword warriors” plot, this series has been a hit with pre-teen boys in particular.

Anyone familiar with Chinese literature will immediately recognize the title as one of the “Four Famous Novels” of China, recently brought to international attention by the blockbuster “Red Cliff” series. Chinese opera buffs may be tempted to roll their eyes at yet another manifestation of this classic tale (which told on stage from start to finish would literally take months), and industry professionals may just discount it as one of the “quick cash-in on a movie market” ploys so often seen in local media. However, I venture to suggest that there is more to this retelling than initially meets the eye. Something is profoundly different in the “White Face” department.

Cao Cao – The Chinese Devil

Chinese proverbs describe Cao Cao as a devil, the great usurper of the throne of Wei and the military genius who defeated the heroes of the Romance. And not just any devil, but the kind exhausted parents tell “boogey man” stories about when they want the kids to stay in bed. Despite his evil reputation, Cao Cao was apparently even more fierce dead than alive. He now rules Chinese mythology as a Lord of the Underworld, and has even apparently been reincarnated as an American actor in Beijing.

Interestingly, however, Cao Cao (the historical figure, not the ego-maniac actor) has been given a “make-over”, much like Qin Shi in the famous Zhang Yimou movie “Hero”. He is now cast as a reluctant “bad guy” who kills and destroys only so that he can ultimately unite and guide China to a stronger future. In this retelling, Cao Cao knows that a happy future is not possible without massacring thousands and sacrificing his reputation, and he therefore allows himself to be seen as a villain for the benefit of the greater good.

This recent rewrite of a historical saga shows a marked trend in Chinese media to reexamine and redefine characters that were traditionally denounced as treacherous and destructive by the virtues of Confucian society. New editions of the old stories show that the villains’ evils were merely misunderstood attempts to help China unite and withstand greater threats from without. While this interpretation necessitates an unbelievably high degree of foreknowledge from the unsung “heroes”, they are now said to have committed their brutal historic atrocities in order to achieve the happy endings that (accidentally) occurred. Such blind faith in abusive authority does not seem illogical; at least, not to those who approve the media.

Raw power becomes the defining factor of the good guys, and they “obviously” wouldn’t have won or been succeeded by relatively civilized authorities (as Cao Cao’s son turned out to be) if their motives had been less than honorable. Or, so the thinking goes.

Why would China rewrite its history in this way? What political incentive could there be? Zhang Yimo’s movie “Hero” made him “Mr. Olympics”, earned hundreds of millions in the West justifying tyranny, and propelled him to international applause as an influential director. So what might the scriptwriter for “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” expect? He happened to win “Best Cartoon” at the Shanghai International Animation Festival in July, before the series even aired. How’s that for results?

We might just have to redefine the meaning of the Chinese idiom, “Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives.” It used to mean “speaking of the devil.” Perhaps now we should say, “Speaking of a tyrant – they write in a hero.”