I just watched the movie ‘Bodyguards and Assassins’(十月圍城); the film is mainly featured with the combination of HK style Kung-fu fighting and the larger historical background of liberal-democratic revolutions against the Qing Dynasty in early 1900s, and it does not have a particularly interesting story. Yet by the film’s first twentieth minute, quite unexpectedly, I was thrown into a ‘near-weeping’ emotional status which lasted till the end of the movie.
Other than the fancy gimmicks, the film has successfully given a human face to the revolutionaries who, as usually overlooked, were only ordinary people. They had families, lovers, and friends; they talked passionately but had fear nonetheless; they were willing to sacrifice themselves but would hesitate to sacrifice their friends. Death, to them was frightening as to anyone else. Through such, the film reminds me of so much I have learned from history books and of so much feeling about this revolutionary history I once had. Yet these feeling are always heavy; sometimes, so heavy that out of fatigue I must push them aside, so as to live on like an ordinary person. For such, this film has been a good reminder.
By the middle of the film, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Republic of China’s National Flag—the flag of ‘Blue Sky with the White Sun and The Red all over the place’ (青天白日滿地紅旗). The blue sky with the white sun was a vow that China, being the largest country in the East, will one day arise like the Sun with brightness of liberty, equality and justice. The Red, on the other hand, is a reminder that these ideals were bought with the blood of countless revolutionaries who died before us. This flag represents both the hope for the future and a constant reminder for the past.
A hundred years have passed. Like it or not, remember it or not, care about it or not, we are the legacy of these revolutionaries and those who similarly devoted their best years for the betterment of China. Yet after a hundred years, the revolution has on the whole failed. Liberty, equality and justice did not come to China while at the moment we forget these aspirations, we kill these revolutionaries a second time by killing the cause of the revolution. A friend once asked me why I still hold passion for political reform in the apathetic society such as HK; well, perhaps this is why.
All in all, if you are looking for a kung-fu film, this one is not a bad one; if you are looking for a historical emotional reminder, this film will be a good choice.
A special thank to Leo, who suggested this film to me.
BBC: "Beijing said it would aim to reduce its "carbon intensity" by 40-45% by the year 2020, compared with 2005 levels.Carbon intensity... is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of GDP. But...it does not mean China's overall levels of carbon dioxide will start falling"
Carbon intensity? WAKE UP CHINA!! With the world destroyed by Global Warming, there will not be a China left as well, for heaven's sake...
This so called 'carbon intensity' measurement was first proposed by G.W.Bush as a sham to evade the necessary measures of curbing carbon emmissions that may hurt the economy; what a shame that China actually starts using it.
For heaven's sake, stop pointing fingure at those who will not commit and start committing, be a great nation as China should be... this is our only hope...
My heart aches to see my country committing so little into this pivotal enterprise for saving humanity as we know it.
Yes, talk about 'we are poor', talk about 'historical responsibility of the west', talk about 'necessity of economic development'; but in the end, the price of Global Warming will be so great that none of these reasons will matter by then.
I hate radicals, especially those young ones who usually are willing to think (but without clarity), negotiate (but without sincerity), criticize (and without humility). I don't mean to be-little their significance; any unjust society usually needs some radicals, but I seriously HATE them
