Wayne Wang’s Chinese Box (1997) covers a period of six months before Hong Kong returned to China, and uses relationships between characters to represent the interactions of China, United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Wang imagines Hong Kong to be a feminine country, as Vivian and Jean symbolize the country. John represents the UK, as his leukemia shows the slow end of the British Empire, and Chang signifies China.
The movie shows John’s obsessive love for Vivian, portraying the UK’s mixed feelings towards losing Hong Kong. John seems to consider his marriage with Vivian to be “real” and “concrete” as he tries to convince her to give up on Chang. After unsuccessful attempts of trying to hate Vivian, he expresses his wish to stay as friends after apologizing to her at the bar. The UK’s feelings towards Hong Kong shown through John seem genuine, whereas Chang wants to keep Vivian by his side not to marry her but to continue to find wealth through her.
Vivian is a beautiful woman who uses prostitution to immigrate to Hong Kong from mainland China. With a desire to live a better life, she clings onto Chang, who seems stable and supportive. She wants to marry him not because she loves him but to get legal residence in the country. John seems to represent the old, whereas Chang embodies the new future of Hong Kong with the help of China. Her old past shows Hong Kong’s history under many different countries, such as imperial China, Japan and Britain. Hong Kong is also described as a “whore” by one character, implying that she can serve any master for money. Despite Vivian’s past, she does not see herself as a victim but rather a strong, sophisticated character as she imitates Marlene Dietrich.
As a reporter, John continues to film the streets of Hong Kong, saying he writes about everything, from the economy and politics of Hong Kong, but still “understands nothing.” When he encounters Jean, he wants to interview her and asks her about freedom. What John really wants to know is how the local people feel about the Chinese takeover, and somewhat wishes them to feel the same way he does about the fading British Empire. He is distressed about Hong Kong’s acceptance of China and wants them to side with western ideals. Instead, she answers him saying “What’s free? My coffee would be free if you paid for it.” Her answer shows her tackling the western logic, as if looking at her homeless self and the reality of Hong Kong under British controls. Jean continues to lie and is unwilling tell John anything, including how she got her scar, but eventually decides to open up and tells him about her English boyfriend. When John makes an opportunity for her to meet William, she is disappointed because he does not remember her at all. Jean’s scars and expectations of William symbolize Hong Kong’s hopes towards the UK turning into disappointments, showing the country’s love and hate relationship with the British rule. Jean also seems to be a victim, but viewers must remember she survived the suicide attempt. She represents Hong Kong’s future, tolerating the changes and using them as opportunities, like how she sells “canned colonial air.”
The scenes of Hong Kong show both the wealth and the poverty of the country, indicating big economic gaps among people. People in business suits are constantly walking around skyscrapers, and people with tattered clothing can be seen selling food in marketplaces. Both the prosperous and poor live in busy, crowded areas where they are constantly walking and doing their jobs. People seem to push themselves like the dog that continues to run, not stopping because they do not want to stumble. Near the last scene, Vivian stops by a market and sees an eviscerated fish with its continuous heart beatings. Images of death are seen with John’s closing his eyes to rest and the bloody fish. The death of Hong Kong under colonial rule, democracy and free market, are all shown here. But the strong heartbeat and the earlier scenes of the exhausted dog running on the treadmill show Hong Kong will endure.
Chinese Box. Dir. Wayne Wang. By Jean-Claude Carriere and Larry Gross. Perf. Jeremy Irons and Gong Li. Panasia Films and Trimark Pictures, 1997.
Wang, Yiman. "Intersections: Chinese Box - Camera Box." Intersections: Chinese Box - Camera Box. Jan. 2000. Web. 17 May 2016.
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