Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 435, Section 433: Television Debate (Part 2)
Professor Zhang Yuan's questions carried the prudence and detachment characteristic of academics. He placed "market" and "art" at seemingly absolutely opposite ends, attempting to nail Wang Sheng to the pillar of shame for "vulgarization" and "abandoning social criticism."

The studio lights were scorching, and the camera focused intently on Wang Sheng's facial expressions.

Viewers in front of their televisions, whether they supported or opposed Wang Sheng, involuntarily held their breath, eager to hear how this business tycoon would respond to this question concerning the essence of film.

Wang Sheng was not intimidated by grand terms like "the seventh art" and "social critique function." He even smiled slightly, a smile that carried an indescribable meaning, like tolerance, or perhaps... pity.

"Professor Zhang's question is very representative, representing a mindset common among many of our theoretical workers."

Wang Sheng spoke calmly, yet with an undeniable force: “It’s as if talking about money or whether the audience likes a movie tarnishes the purity of art and disqualifies one from criticism.”

He changed the subject, his gaze sharp as he looked at Zhang Yuan: "Then, I would like to ask Professor Zhang, in your opinion, what kind of film deserves to be called 'art'?"
Is it a film that can only be screened in a small circle of film festivals, and that ordinary viewers find drowsy or even incomprehensible?
Does one have to be deeply grieved and expose the so-called "dark side" to demonstrate intellectual depth?

Or must film art be highbrow and inaccessible, completely detached from the joys and sorrows of the masses?

A barrage of rhetorical questions, like a machine gun, left Zhang Yuan speechless for a moment. He adjusted his glasses, trying to organize his thoughts: "Art certainly has its independence and avant-garde nature, and cannot be completely hijacked by popular tastes... The social function of film lies in guidance and reflection, not in blindly pandering..."

“Guidance and reflection?” Wang Sheng interrupted him, his tone still steady but his pace slightly faster. “Professor Zhang, in your opinion, if a film can’t even get the audience to go to the cinema and sit down to watch it, how can it ‘guide’ them?”
How do we 'reflect' on this? Does its value and influence truly reside only in the papers of a few judges and theorists?

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the audience and the camera, as if he were talking to countless ordinary people: "Shouldn't film art be diverse? There can be experimental art films that explore the boundaries of images, and there can be genre films that tell the joys and sorrows of ordinary people; there can be profound and heavy historical reflections, and there can be comedies that make people laugh!"

Why is it that, in your view and those who share your opinion, only the former deserves to be called art, while the latter is considered vulgar and a cardinal sin?

"When did the standards for judging art become so narrow and arrogant?"

Wang Sheng's voice was tinged with sorrow: "Our Shengying Media invested in 'Postmen in the Mountains,' wasn't it artistic enough? It won Best Film at the Tokyo International Film Festival! We participated in 'The Birth of a Warrior,' didn't it have intellectual depth and social significance? It showcased the most indomitable backbone of our nation!"
But we also produced films like "First Love" and "My Sassy Girl" because they satisfied young people's need for beautiful love and light entertainment! Is that wrong?

"For the film industry to develop healthily, it must be diversified and ecological!"
It is unreasonable to expect all films to fulfill the 'social critique function' you define.

A healthy state is one where different types of films can find their target audiences, satisfy different levels of spiritual and cultural needs, allow creators to make a decent living through their craft, and ensure that the industry has funds to continuously invest in better productions!
Instead of the current situation where some people cling to outdated ideas and condemn all works that attempt to market themselves and attract more viewers as 'degenerate'!

Wang Sheng's argument progresses step by step, from refuting the definition of art to building an industrial ecosystem, bringing Zhang Yuan's problem back from a purely academic discussion to a broader and more realistic industrial level.

His viewpoint is clear and compelling: art and commerce are not mutually exclusive; a diverse and symbiotic ecosystem is the future of Chinese cinema.

A round of applause broke out, mainly from young audience members and some industry professionals.

Many ordinary viewers who had been tormented by didactic "art films" also felt a deep resonance in front of their televisions.

Zhang Yuan's face turned pale. He tried to cite some theories from the Frankfurt School to refute them, but those convoluted terms seemed pale and powerless in the face of Wang Sheng's insightful and realistic logic.

Just then, Yan Xiaoqiang, who had been holding back for so long, seized the opportunity to speak.

His attack was more cunning and insidious, directly targeting Wang Sheng's "motives" and "stances".

"Mr. Wang Sheng, what high-sounding words you've uttered! Marketization, internationalization, satisfying the audience... what beautiful phrases!" Yan Xiaoqiang's lips curled into a mocking smile, his words fast and sharp. "But let's see how you actually do it!"

"How would you rate Hong Kong films at the recent Hong Kong Film Awards?"

You said they are stuck in their ways and out of touch with the audience!
These lofty remarks have been seen by Hong Kong media as a trampling on the traditions of Hong Kong films and an arrogant interference! Is this what you call 'cultural exchange' and 'common progress'?

This seems more like a victor's ruthless mockery of the loser, a mixture of cultural superiority and...inferiority complex! Do you need to establish your newfound authority by belittling former cultural exporters?

This accusation is extremely malicious, distorting Wang Sheng's objective criticism of Hong Kong films (albeit sharp in its wording) into a kind of psychological venting.

Wang Sheng's eyes turned cold, but he didn't interrupt him immediately.

Seeing Wang Sheng remain silent, Yan Xiaoqiang became even more aggressive and continued to throw out what he considered to be his "trump card": "And there's your 'Kung Fu Soccer'! Its success in North America is truly astonishing."

But how did it succeed? According to media reports, one of its promotional strategies was to link it to the Chinese national football team's bid for the World Cup!

His voice suddenly rose, with a theatrical tone of grief and indignation: "Using the failure and embarrassment of their own national football team as a gimmick to cater to the curiosity and prejudice that Western audiences may have, in order to gain box office revenue and attention!"
Mr. Wang Sheng, please ask yourself honestly, isn't this a different kind of cultural inferiority complex? This is not the new era's "learn from the barbarians to subdue them," but a sycophantic pandering to Hollywood's power and Western cultural standards!
Is the success you achieved in this way something we should be proud of? Is this what you call 'cultural confidence'?!

"boom--!"

These words were like a bomb dropped in the studio.

There was an uproar at the scene.

Hu Manli and Zhang Yuan both wore expressions of "I knew it." In front of their televisions, countless viewers, especially those fans who harbored complex feelings towards the national football team—a mixture of love and hate—were instantly stirred.

in front of the TV.

The brother-in-law suddenly slapped his thigh: "That...makes a bit of a point!"

Mr. Gao also frowned, clearly troubled by the question.

Han family.

Han Jianu looked anxiously at her father: "Dad! He's talking nonsense! Uncle Wang Sheng isn't that kind of person!"

Han Sanping's expression was grave. He knew this problem was extremely thorny, and if not handled properly, the advantages that Wang Sheng had previously established might vanish.

The camera was fixed on Wang Sheng.

Everyone wanted to know how he would respond to this heavy blow that was aimed directly at "national sentiment" and "cultural stance".

Wang Sheng showed no sign of panic at being exposed.

He didn't look at Yan Xiaoqiang, but faced the camera directly, his gaze piercing as if he wanted to penetrate the screen and look directly at everyone who questioned him.

"Mr. Yan, I admire your imagination."

Wang Sheng's voice was not loud, but it carried a metallic quality, clearly reaching everyone's ears: "You have woven a perfect 'presumption of guilt' with a seemingly tragic logic. But unfortunately, you have ignored the most basic facts, or rather, you have chosen to be selectively blind."

"First, regarding my remarks about the Hong Kong Film Awards," Wang Sheng said firmly, "I criticized the existing problems of Hong Kong films and expressed my hope that they can be revitalized!"
If we don't even dare to point out the problems and just wallow in past glories, that's the biggest harm we can do to Hong Kong films! When I, Wang Sheng, do things, I always focus on the issue, not the person!

As for your claims of 'cultural superiority' and 'inferiority complex,' forgive my bluntness, but this is simply projecting your own views onto others! I have absolute confidence in my work and in the vitality of Chinese culture! I don't need to gain that confidence by belittling anyone!

"Secondly, regarding the North American promotion of 'Shaolin Soccer'!" Wang Sheng's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable force, "You say we're exploiting the Chinese national football team's 'failure and embarrassment'? Mr. Yan, have you even seen the movie 'Shaolin Soccer'?!"

His sudden question startled Yan Xiaoqiang.

Before he could answer, Wang Sheng continued sharply: "What is the core spirit of 'Kung Fu Soccer'? It's dreams! It's perseverance! It's the underdog's rise to success! It's the belief of never giving up, no matter how strong the opponent!"

The "Kung Fu Team" in the movie was initially a weak team, but through unity and ingenuity, they eventually realized their dream!

When promoting the film in North America, it was tied to the theme of 'dreams coming true,' resonating with the passion and anticipation shared by football fans worldwide during the World Cup!

"Regarding the stand-up comedy jokes you mentioned,"

A cold smile appeared on Wang Sheng's lips. "That was a spontaneous action by the American media! New Line Cinema was just going with the flow, turning this discussion into attention to the film's theme of 'dreams'!"

This precisely demonstrates that our film resonated with a certain point in their social culture! It's a success in cultural exchange, so how did you come to label it as 'pandering' and 'inferiority complex'?!

"Do you think that Chinese films going global must be filled with bitterness and hatred, and be serious and solemn?"
Why can't we use humor, self-deprecation, or commercial genre films to attract foreign audiences and let them accept our cultural core while laughing? What kind of logic is that?!

Wang Sheng spoke faster and faster, his momentum unstoppable: "If we ourselves are so insecure about our own stories and our own way of expression, and think that using a little trickery or a publicity method that conforms to market rules is 'inferiority complex' or 'pandering,' then what are we talking about in terms of cultural export? We might as well just close the door and play by ourselves!"

"In North America, 'Shaolin Soccer' made millions of ordinary American viewers cheer and applaud in theaters for a whimsical soccer team played by Chinese actors!"
What they remember is not the 'embarrassment of the Chinese national football team' that you imagine, but the novelty, passion, and joy brought by the combination of 'Chinese Kung Fu' and 'Soccer'!
Isn't this a positive way of projecting a cultural image?!

"Mr. Yan, you keep talking about cultural self-respect, but your thinking reveals a deep-seated lack of cultural confidence!"

You don't believe our cultural products can succeed in a way that complies with international market rules, based on their own appeal!
You always feel we must put on a tragic facade, otherwise we're just 'pleasing' others! This mentality is the biggest obstacle preventing Chinese culture from reaching the world!

Wang Sheng's final words struck Yan Xiaoqiang and others who shared similar views like a heavy hammer.

He put the label of "cultural inferiority complex" back on him exactly as it was!

A brief silence fell over the room, followed by even more enthusiastic and prolonged applause!
In front of the television, countless young viewers excitedly waved their fists.

Yan Xiaoqiang's face stiffened. He wanted to refute, but couldn't find a more compelling argument.

(End of this chapter)