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LaaF…Culture!

“random musings and unfounded theories with pop culture”

September 6, 2021 Shang-Chi: 3 Sentence Review & 3 Reflections with a Redemptive Analogy

3 SENTENCE REVIEW 

Like Black Panther before it, Shang-Chi immersed us in its own world building, not centered on a North American world.  It pulls from a rich Chinese martial arts film genre – bringing together Jet Li’s artful forms (see Tai Chi Master), Jackie Chan’s use of everyday environment (see Rumble in the Bronx), and Bruce Lee’s calm ferocity (see Fist of Fury) – as well as a dramatic depth of cinema without words – captured in the eyes of Tony Leung (in turns terrifying, tortured, and tender…so glad the rest of the world can get to know him better :).  What was most incredible was how the film was able to simultaneously deconstruct harmful stereotypes and reconstruct together seemingly disparate dualities of old and new, beauty and brokeness, mother and father, Asian and American.  8 out of 10.

3 REFLECTIONS ON SHANG-CHI

There are others who’ve demonstrated better them me how the film has deconstructed and destroyed the racist origins of this Marvel character as well as its associated harmful stereotypes.  But the film also reconstructs Asian America in better ways. 

1. Shang-Chi is unapologetically Asian (more specifically Chinese)

The film opens with an extended fable like tale narrated completely in Mandarin. The cast is made up almost entirely by those of Asian heritage. The film pulls from ancient Asian history and mythology (allusions to the Khan dynasty and mythical creatures – such as benevolent dragons). It pays homage to all sort of martial arts from a variety of weapons and styles. It also reflects broader values found in many Asian cultures such as filial piety that is reflected in its good and its bad – from honoring elders to never quite living up to parental expectations.

2. Yet, Shang-Chi is also refreshingly Asian American

 We find the protagonist lives and makes his home in the US and is bilingual.  There’s a range of language fluency in its character much like in Asian America.  They can respect their Asian heritage but also have their own paths in America and the world.  They don’t have to choose one or the other but can make their own hybrid identity.  There is destiny and legacy as well as adaptation that is possible.   In that vein, the portrayal of women was refreshing.  Not replacing domination with another domination but that of complementation.  The mother was able to balance the father.  The sister could hold her own with her brother.  The female was an important friend to the male friend, as opposed to simply a romantic love interest.

3. And Shang-Chi manages to bring unity in the midst of conflict.

The story is rooted in the stories of both Shang-Chi’s father as well as mother.  The father is shown to represents power.  The mother represents love.  From there many other dualities arise.  There is past (Ancient magic, what his father used to be like, Shang-Chi as a child) and present (current technology, what his father is like now, Shang-Chi as an adult).  There is Asian (the land and culture of his parents) and there is America (the land and culture that Shang-Chi has found as home).  There is evil (violent force, murder) and thereas is good (nurturing, familial care).  These dualities are not often found as mutually exclusive but there is conflict or mixture of both.  The concept of Yin and Yang is hard to miss here in which the world is conceived of dualities in tension not as pure dichotomies that flow into each other and ought to be in balance.  Although some, often in the West, may dismiss such concepts, and of course there are limitations to the concept, in that some things are and should be distinct (namely good and evil).  However, it can be a helpful paradigm, as this side of heaven, the world often is not so black and white.  The other extreme of simplistic false dichotomies are not helpful either.  Even biblically, even though not ultimately so, in our current reality we find seemingly opposing ideas existing together: we are both made in the image of God but also broken by sin, the Kingdom of God is here but not yet, we are predestined but are tasked to take right actions.

So how then should we live in such a world? This is where we can find redemptive analogy even in Shang-Chi. Shang-Chi finds within himself conflicted identities of Asian and American, mother and father, love and violence. SPOILER ALERT. He wants to be perceived as good but he has done evil in the past he is ashamed of. His loving mother has taught him that there is good in him and change is possible. His embittered father has taught him that blood must be repaid with blood and one cannot escape their nature. The answer seems to be found in the motif of the open hand. When Shang-Chi is training with his Aunt she opens his balled up fist. In the final battle with his father, Shang-Chi has the opportunity to use the 10 rings against him, but chooses rather to open his hand and let the rings fall to the ground. This act of surrender opens one up to loss but is the paradox for ultimate victory. Shang-Chi’s father, when taken up by the dark creature opens up his hands and surrenders his rings and his life so his son may live. In the same way Jesus in his battle with sin and death, surrenders his life on our behalf but in this way saves us all. In this way, grace breaks the cycle of bloodshed.

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