Symbolism In China Night

The 1940s heralded significant changes within the Japanese Empire due to the intensification of war. With the introduction of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere in 1940, a surge in Japanese film propaganda advocating for a united Pan-Asian identity emerged. Amongst these works, a common depiction of romantic or familial sentiments between characters who represent Japan and those of other Asian ethnicities can be identified. Moreover, it is also important to highlight how the latter are commonly cast as women or children who are pitiable and wretched before their encounter with the former. Through the examination of China Night (1940) and Angels on The Street (1941), I argue that the portrayal of such intimate human relations associates

Widely-known as one of the three “continental goodwill films”, the movie focuses on the relationship between a Japanese man named Hase and a young Chinese woman called Keiran. When she is first introduced within the film, Keiran is a dirty and discheveled street urchin. After she is brought to the Japanese hotel, she is given a simple, clean set of clothes, as well as a dress more beautiful than the one she had before. It is interesting to note hereafter that as her relationship with Hase progresses, so does her appearance – besides new and more lavish dresses, she also dons new coats and receives accessories from Hase. The progression of her appearance culminates in the scene where she puts on her wedding dress – a symbol of their union. This visual representation of her (and metaphorically China’s) ascension of the social and cultural ladder is noteworthy, seeing as her changed appearance and behavior is portrayed as being due to the kindness of Hase and the other Japanese characters. The film’s depiction of Keiran’s transformation from an anti-Japanese, shabby and unmannered girl to an obedient, well-dressed wife of a Japanese man thus illustrates her internalization of the Japanese culture through her relationship with Hase, as well as the socio-economic benefits that come along with accepting and embracing the Japanese