LTEA 120 Chinese Films: Chinese Cinema in Global Perspective
Spring 2022

Session 4: The New Woman on Screen: Ruan Lingyu

Study and Discussion Questions

1. What did you learn about the “New Woman” ideal from the readings? How and why was
the “New Woman” an important notion for the May Fourth New Culture Movement?
Explain.

2. What did you learn about the life, work and death of the iconic actress Ruan Lingyu?
How did she become identified with the “New Woman”? What did she achieve,
particularly in the two films you viewed for today? HOW does she portray the lives and
experiences of new women in China on screen? What is the “New Woman Incident”
Kristine Harris alludes to in her article? Why was her death at the conclusion of the film
New Women so significant? Explain.

3. Look closely at the film Goddess, and examine it carefully, not only on the level of plot
and storyline, but also in terms of the cinematic techniques used in the film. How are
techniques such as camera angle and framing used to enhance key scenes in this film?
How does the visual language of the film enhance the affective power of this film?
Discuss.

4. How do the two films, Goddess and New Women, engage the theme of the “New
Woman” similarly but also differently. Relate and compare these two films and consider
the impact these films may have made at the time of their release, within the context of
1930’s China. Why are these still considered to be such important films, which tell us a
lot about key issues and problems that were occurring in Chinese society and culture at
that time? Explain.