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East Asian Languages and Societies Commons™
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Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in East Asian Languages and Societies
Employing A Chinese Ghost Story To Teach The Syncretism Of Chinese Religions, Gloria I-Ling Chien
Employing A Chinese Ghost Story To Teach The Syncretism Of Chinese Religions, Gloria I-Ling Chien
Journal of Religion & Film
Upon its release in 1987, the Hong Kong blockbuster A Chinese Ghost Story resulted in sequels, adaptations, and two remakes in 2011 and 2020. Despite its popularity, only a few critics have noticed its eclectic representations of Chinese religions, nor has there been any evaluation of its pedagogical potential. This article details how the author employs this 1987 work to teach the syncretism of Chinese religions in an undergraduate course “Asian Religions in Film.” By decoding the embedded concepts, the meanings and history behind “the Jade Garland talisman,” the inclusion of the Diamond Sutra for exorcistic efficacy, and the portrayal …
Turning Red, Micah Dunwoody
Turning Red, Micah Dunwoody
Journal of Religion & Film
This is a film review of Turning Red (2022) directed by Domee Shi.
Between Documentary And Fiction: The Films Of Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Marc Yamada
Between Documentary And Fiction: The Films Of Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Marc Yamada
Journal of Religion & Film
This article investigates the representation of Buddhist values through the interplay between drama and documentary in two of Kore-eda’s films—After Life (Wandafuru Raifu, 1998) and I Wish (Kiseki, 2011). It will argue that the spiritual aspirations of these two films is a product of their nondualistic treatment of a documentary and dramatic style of filmmaking.
Shinto And Buddhist Metaphors In Departures, Yoshiko Okuyama
Shinto And Buddhist Metaphors In Departures, Yoshiko Okuyama
Journal of Religion & Film
Cinematic language is rich in examples of religious metaphors. One Japanese film that contains religious “tropes” (figurative language) is the 2008 human drama, Departures. This paper focuses on the analysis of religious metaphors encoded in select film shots, using semiotics as the theoretical framework for film analysis. The specific metaphors discussed in the paper are the Shinto view of death as defilement and Buddhist practices associated with the metaphor of the journey to the afterlife. The purpose of this paper is to augment the previous reviews of Departures by explicating these religious signs hidden in the film.