The document discusses the Chinese film "Tiny Times" and how it reflects growing materialism and individualism in China, particularly among younger generations, in contrast to Mao's vision of communist asceticism. While popular among many young viewers, the film was also criticized by some as promoting shallow materialism and an inaccurate portrayal of modern Chinese women and society. It examines the film's significance as a sign of China's social and cultural changes since Mao's time.

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If Chairman Mao was
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2. When China’s richest writer-turned-filmmaker Guo
Jingming released his debut film Tiny Times, he
managed to provoke two extreme reactions. With
their mood of decadent excess, Tiny Times reflects
the growing materialism in China.

3. The movie greatly deviates from Mao’s ascetic
communism and it’s more of a wholesale celebration
of materialism and conspicuousness which can be
described as a fusion of The Devil Wears Prada and
Sex and the City.

4. The Tiny Times series follows four
fashion-obsessed and attractive young
women: Ruby, Nan, Lily and Lin around
Shanghai. It’s the chronicles of their
romances and lives.

5. They constantly make references to
expensive brands such as Gucci and
Prada and also sports cars. With their
characters always in opulent
environments, they tend to enter into
relationships with well-dressed
handsome men.

6. It was a blockbuster which didn’t spare
expenses on production with a very
polished look, Hollywood standard
cinematography, set design, and
costumes. Most of the crew members
and cast hail from Taiwan.

7. Even with the criticism, this did not stop it from
beating Hollywood’s “Man of Steel” when it opened in
June of 2013, grossing over $43 million in its first
week. Its sequel, Tiny times 2’ also scored big by
grossing about $47 million three weeks after its
opening in August.

8. It was such a lucrative endeavor bringing in more that
$200 million to the Chinese box offices. Even with its
third installment, it managed to push the heavyweight
Hollywood blockbuster Transformer: Age of Extinction
into second place. As Beijing-based Stephen Cremin
says,

9. “This is the first high-profile film to appeal primarily
to the generation born in the 1990s who’ve been the
main movie-going audience in China.” There was so
much controversy around the film, with some labeling
it a “feminist movie.”

10. Material Girls
The 90s generation is greatly influenced by pop
culture and has strong inspirational preferences which
are completely changing the face of Chinese Cinema.
They are a representation of this huge market that
resulted from reforms in China that fostered
economic growth. Tansen Sen, professor of Asian
History says, “I couldn’t imagine in the late 80’s that
you would have movies like this.”

11. This movie pressed hot buttons and touched some
topics that remain quite sensitive. It was a slap in the
face for those people who feel that materialism,
worship of money, and individualism has gone too far
in China.

12. Professor of Media Culture at the City University of
New York, Ying Zhu says that this movie mirrors
exactly how the society has traveled in the past two
or so decades, the obvious material worship, the lack
of real humanity, and the lack of moral grounding.

13. The portrayal of women as losing ground in economic
participation is quite perturbing since it is not the
situation on the ground. According to the director of
China market research group Shaun Rein, Chinese
women comprise 50% of the total household income.

14. In 2011, the Economist reported that the women
labor force participation rate in China was higher than
any other country in the world. Around 25% of senior
management positions are held by women in China,
compared to 24% in Europe, 18% in the USA, and just
5% in neighboring Japan.

15. Some might argue that 25% is a far cry from 50% and
a lot needs to be done for gender parity but still the
gender gap in China is not as wide as the movies
might have you think.

16. A research was done, including observations and
ethnographic interviews of women in Beijing and
Shanghai which illustrated empowered practices and
mindsets depicted by the movie. Guo Jingming’s
portrayal of women was, they inhabitants of this
materialistic universe with values defined by money,
and they aspire for wealthy men.

17. Tensen Sen says he sees China as a very pop culture
oriented society and there was no sense that it was a
communist society that he was describing. There is a
disconnect between the society he writes about and
the one he lives in. It is all fantasy writing but not the
exact representation of the Chinese society.

18. Having come from a middle –class background and
tasted the fruits of reforms, his target audience is the
young people living in second-tier cities such as
Wuhan, Nanjing and Chongping but not the ones
residing in Shanghai or Beijing metropolises.

19. The group that is definitely less sophisticated but with
insatiable materialistic longings. The Chinese film
industry is working to capture this young audience
and give them what they want to watch. It is more of
a marketing gimmick than societal representation. It is
no longer about the epic history drama but romantic
comedies and teen romances.

20. Some of the critics blasted the movie as shallow and
materialistic fearing that it would corrupt the young
people into worshiping money. Zhou Liming, who is a
popular film critic weighed in. “Tiny Times reflects
undisguised desire. ”

21. For example with its main character gaining voice
after becoming so wealthy and living in a glass house
in high-end Shanghai. The film depicts office politics,
the lifestyle of the arrogant and rich, the struggle for
success, friendship and love.

22. Han Song who is a blogger said that most of the film’s
fans appreciate how it depicted individual dreams
rather than setting in national or historical broader
contexts of corruption issues and social imbalance.
Most of the films critics are the 60s and 70s
generations whose main concern is corruption and
social imbalance issues.

23. Raymond Chou, China’s leading film critic feels that
this movie is taking the country in the wrong direction
and says “It’s hinting to the young generation that you
can do anything to win material goods because that’s
how value is determined, by the kinds of clothes you
wear and the kind of bags you carry”.

24. This is a generational clash, with the young people
thinking they do not need to carry the baggage of the
Chinese dream and social responsibilities. All they
need to do is live their life just like the rest of the
world, while the older generation feels like the
youths need to get empowered and continue with the
Mao legacy.

25. The modern Chinese woman wants more than an arm
candy, they want equal opportunities, senior
government positions, they want to feel empowered
and not just coming second after men.

26. Mao Zedong is probably turning in his grave because
of this fad. Tiny times is rising beyond the criticism
and continuing to hit up the Chinese cinemas. It’s
celebrated by many and frowned upon by some. It
has a bold wide view of materialism which is a far cry
from what Mao envisioned 60 years ago.

27. The movie is not only capable of starting Mao, but it is
also an opinion shaper in the Chinese modern culture.
To what extent has the Western pop culture
penetrated China? It is quite an intense debate with
materialism remaining neutral, neither positive nor
negative

28. Such movies might not have come out of China in the
initial years, but it doesn’t mean that they never
consumed them. They know what’s playing in New
York or even Paris. The big question here should be, is
“Tiny Times” success alongside such big controversy
and criticism the surest sign of progress yet?

29. Bonus
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http://blog.laowaicareer.com/tiny-times-rise-west-chinese-
pop-culture/

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