Zhang Yimou's blockbuster "Hero" is proving enormously successful in the North American market, reigniting the enthusiasm for Chinese martial arts in Western countries.

In the domestic market, almost simultaneously, his latest work "The House of Flying Daggers" has been defeated by another Chinese film in the running for awards in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director and even Best Actress in the recently announced Golden Rooster Movie Festival. Local people might be amused to see the result as the winning film has the genial name "Shanghai Story" and, just as the name suggests, it concerns ordinary people's lives in the city, conquering the judges with its demonstration of the way love, trust and communication became difficult even among family members under the shadow of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

Comparatively speaking, the big-budget "Hero" presents a more magnificent setting to the audience, but it is less impressive in respect to its story and theme. Despite director Zhang's flair in portraying memorable martial arts scenes, he obviously neglected one key factor: although the trend towards appreciating martial arts is moving across the Pacific from East to West, the people from its birth place are now fed up with extravagant scenes of kicks, fights and fake blood in these so called "astounding martial arts epics."

They want something more touching and realistic, which can truly reflect their lives and their thoughts about their surroundings.

So it was not surprising that even the controversial film "Mobile Phone" won an award for Best Story. This is the film that triggered a nationwide crisis of trust between couples as it highlighted the functions of cell phones which can be used to deceive spouses in the search for extra-marital relationships.

From the list of winners it can be easily concluded that both audiences and judges are putting more emphasis on the content of films and the information they carry rather than their appearance. "Distilled from life and higher than life" is turning from a slogan into commonly accepted reality.

Over their history, Chinese movies have greatly benefited from the tradition of kungfu. To some extent it was this subject that first introduced Chinese films to international audiences. Quite a number of famous world directors have been strongly influenced by Chinese martial arts. Among them is Quentin Taratino, who shot "Kill Bill" to pay homage to the glorious days of Asian martial arts films.

Two decades have passed since the classic era of martial arts movies. Chinese films have diversified their subject matter and proliferated new styles. But it seems that the perception of Chinese film in Hollywood remains unchanged. From "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" to "Hero", Chinese films succeeded in catching the world's attention by accepting tired stereotypes and zealously using kungfu fight scenes to impress Western audiences.

It is even said that the only way for a Chinese actress to reach the front rank in Hollywood is by using her 10cm stiletto heel to kick with. This criticism might be too absolute. But it does have some truth in it. What we have offered to the international stage is not typical Chinese movies - and what Hollywood has selected from China is also limited in the same way.

Another example might further illustrate the situation. Several years ago, one of my friends went to the US as an exchange student. Later she wrote to me: "It is hard to believe that Americans are so ignorant about our country. Some even asked me whether it was because I had no school to attend at home that I had travelled abroad for continued education." She was quite offended at first, but she understood the reason later. She shifted the blame onto celebrated director Zhang, who had made a lot of movies featuring underdevelopment and odd traditions in the rural areas of China. Although he received the Golden Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival for his "Red Sorghum" and enhanced his fame by winning several other awards for such movies of "provincial flavour", what had become deeply rooted as the world's impression of China was the indigence and blindness in his description.

Nowadays we realize that movies are not only for relaxation and entertainment, they also shoulder responsibility for translating culture from one side of the world to another. They are windows conveying our life to the outside world and simultaneously allowing external trends to enter China. Thus, what we need is not only superficial symbols such as battles among bamboo trees, but something more deeply embedded in our minds. Besides making sequels one after another with the same basic movements, it would be more meaningful to usher in new styles and instill into them the vibration and the vitality of the epoch. To appeal to Hollywood's taste is easy, but to rejuvenate our own industry is much harder and requires real heroes.

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