The cultural connotation flowing out of Clouds in Peking
A fully commercialized series of Korean dramas came into our sight without knowing when. While the audience was still sighing or disdaining the Korean culture flowing out of Dae Jang Geum, the affectionate Clouds in Peking came here. There is a maid-in-waiting and medical woman named Changjin who is constantly striving for self-improvement, and here comes a sensible and tolerant strange girl-Yao Mulan. If "Dae Jang Geum" depicts a woman's bumpy fate of self-improvement; Then this "Clouds in Beijing" describes the fate picture of several big families' ups and downs in a specific historical period-"The Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival".
I have reservations about some viewers' doubts about screenwriters. Because for the film and television dramas adapted from famous works, there has always been a danger of thankless work. But this "Clouds in Beijing", I think, is a rare classic for many years. The reason why it is classic is that every character in the play has a story, and under the wonderful performance of the actors, they all present a fleshy carrier. A few days ago, I wrote a series of characters about "Friendship" and "Mentor" in Dae Jang Geum, which is based on my love for the plump characters in the play. In this "Clouds in Peking", from the middle, the young and the old protagonist, even to the servant girl and the doctor, every character's personality expresses a lot of fate in words, without losing "Dae Jang Geum"
Yao Sian, a gentle and kind Yao mother, Yao Mulan, an upright and upright Kong Lifu, a lovely and charming Yao Mochou, Yao Difei, a new liberal school, a lively and lovely Daifen, a sentimental Redjade, and a girl with a faint fragrance who is outspoken; Zeng Wenbo, who is weak in style, is a strong great-mother, smooth Cassia, just and sickly Zeng Pingya, gentle and paranoid Mannia, timid and honest Chinya, dissolute Sunya and romantic and infatuated Cao Lihua; There are also cattle families full of cartoon meanings: treacherous cows, greedy cows, Niu Tongyi who bullied men and women, Niu Huaiyu who was simple and romantic and later became a traitor, and Niu Suyun who was competitive and greedy until she finally changed her mind. Just 44 episodes, so many characters with distinct personalities are depicted, but they are detailed and appropriate, which is really good.
The above mentioned actors, old and new, who are wonderful at fighting, and the actors, screenwriters and directors have made great efforts in shaping these characters. The classic lines in "Clouds in Beijing" are sentence after sentence, which is worthy of careful taste. Of course, this is the credit of Mr. Lin Lao, but it is also indispensable for the writers' thoughts. Let's take a look at the elegant personal photos in the bedroom of each character in the play. Every bronze candlestick engraved with happy words at the wedding banquet, every piping and button of each costume are meticulous, and every set of tea sets matched with the surrounding environment can be seen in the thoughtfulness of the props in the play. In addition, the editing of the play is also quite exquisite, and the skills of substituting flowers for trees can be seen everywhere, and the ups and downs of each character are interspersed beautifully and properly. The reason why classics are classics lies in classics to every detail.
Then, let's talk about the cultural atmosphere permeated in Clouds in Beijing. Counting it carefully, it is not lost to any Korean drama that is amazing to the audience.
antique deep house courtyards, mahogany carvings and pavilions
This includes not only the deep house courtyards of Yao and Zeng, purple wood furniture, screens and square tables, but also the Wangfu Garden that Yao moved into later. The stone lion at the entrance of Wangfu Garden, with its dazzling pavilions and garden ponds, not only made Difei's foreign friends sigh again and again, but also overwhelmed the audience.
There is also the commercial street full of Sugar-Coated Berry, tea houses, snacks, ancient books, rabbits, kites and flowers, which is full of shouts and smells.
Antiques, ceramics, ancient paintings, calligraphy, newspapers and books
The exquisite antiques in Mochow's dowry were displayed to the audience under Mulan's command. The Zeng family's antique shop has become an antique concentration camp; This is not enough. From the antique trading in the glass yard to every room of Zeng and Yao's house, this ceramic and antique decoration is indispensable.
Mr. Fu Lao, Mr. Yao Si 'an, Lifu and Mochow had their own comments on the font of Ganlong in the scene of enjoying the scenery in the Western Hills. In the whole play, the couplets and letters that appear are all pen and ink.
Then I went to see the books and ancient paintings in every study, which revealed the atmosphere of scholarly family. Do you still remember the book "The Collection of Drinking Ice Rooms" and "A Preliminary Study of Oracle Bone Inscriptions in the Shang Dynasty" that was handed down from hand to hand by Mulan and Lifu?
There is also Lifu's popular "Talking about a Prostitute" written under the pseudonym "Unjust". The main idea is that most of the literati at that time did some whitewashing, but in fact, the function of newspaper public opinion supervision was reflected at that time. Looking for newspapers and periodicals that were densely printed at that time, the Republic of China Times, the People's Daily, the Truth, and the New Youth, also suffered the director of "Clouds in Beijing". The newsboy's voice "extra, extra" is really the symbol of the film and television drama of this era. However, it is not only Lifu's scholar spirit as a scholar, but also Mr. Lin's ideal to move to the rich cow's house based on the public opinion in the newspaper. Except for high-spirited college students, how can men, women and children collectively go out to protest against the evil and bullying of cattle? The common people in China will only spread rumors and gossip, just like the common people in the town in Wang Xinli's Lost in Love.
Poems, proverbs and legends
Clouds in Beijing, after all, is not as elegant as A Dream of Red Mansions, and from time to time, it punishes poetry, but everyone has a proverb that suits his identity. The phrase "there is no turning back before opening the bow" has appeared many times, but every time it makes people lament the impermanence of the world. Next, "Clouds in Beijing" will be broadcast in foreign countries one after another, and the translation of these contents will take a lot of effort.
There is also the legend that the old man's daughter gave her life to save her father, which appeared three times in Mulan and Mochow's mouth, each time reflecting the greatness and helplessness of her daughter. Every time that bell was rung, the audience worried and sighed about Mulan's fate.
Unique Oracle Bone Inscriptions
Oracle Bone Inscriptions is unique to Clouds in Beijing and China culture.
When Mulan was forced to get married, Yao Si 'an gave all his Oracle bones to Mulan as a dowry. Yao Sian tearfully said, "My eldest daughter saved my life." Alas, in his mind, his beloved-Oracle Bone Inscriptions-is not as precious as his daughter.
In the last scene, Yao Si 'an burned everything to prevent Oracle Bone Inscriptions from falling into the hands of Japanese devils. What a tragic scene! "Oracle bones will remain on the land of China even if they turn to ashes", what a kind of integrity!
Peking Opera, Erhu, Flute, Xiao and Drum
As soon as "Clouds in Beijing" started, Mulan came to a Beijing opera. Then in Xishan, Yaojia, Wangfu Garden, prison, and even the background music of the actors' speeches, they can't do without the clear pronunciation and mellow voice of Beijing Opera. Until the last intoxicating "drunken imperial concubine", it came with Mulan leisurely.
On the night Mulan's younger sister got married, Yao Si 'an's resentful erhu was "dead at night", which made people sigh in the empty and silent night. When it was a pity to pass Mulan by, on the night of Mulan's wedding, Lifu blew Xiao alone and sighed, how miserable it was.
In addition, gongs and drums are indispensable in weddings.
Buddhism and Taoism
China's culture is best understood by Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia, but Buddhism and Taoism are rarely involved in film and television works. Lin Yutang's Smoke in Beijing, with the intention of introducing China culture to foreign countries, permeates the cultures of Buddhism and Taoism. From the lottery in buddhist nun, celebrating happiness to praying for Buddha, Buddhist culture was imprinted in that era.
Taoism is mainly reflected by Yao Si 'an, a worldly master who entered the WTO. Every conversation between him and his daughter Mulan, every calm face of disaster, after a long journey alone, and then suddenly realized, all revealed their own way.
Wedding and Funeral Etiquette
In the Korean drama "The Bride is 18", I learned about Korean wedding and funeral for the first time. From the scenery of the Zeng family's three happy events in Beijing to the funerals of Zeng Pingya, Zeng Wenbo, Manni, etc., "Clouds in Peking" gives a typical wedding and funeral etiquette in ancient China. Celebration and sadness are reflected in the details of each prop, such as big gifts, dowry, going to the top, going out on the right day, returning to the door in three dynasties, red sedan chair, mountain and river country coat and Gankun geographical skirt.
tea culture
The Longjing in the West Lake is matched with ancient ceramic tea sets, revealing our tea culture.
The tea culture in Clouds in Beijing is reflected in every scene of receiving guests. In particular, the scene in which Mulan made Lifu tea, which turned upside down, made two cups, and finally the cup of Longjing was full. Through Lifu's tearful eyes, all the feelings and regrets were gone.
In addition, the fried crabs in Jiangsu, the sour plum lamb in Zhimeizhai, the chestnut mutton soup in Tianyi Zhai, the roast leg of lamb in Tianbao Building, the minced meat biscuits that prevent eating, the salted duck in Nanjing and the osmanthus duck all sound mouth-watering.
Specimen of China Ancient Family
The Zeng family is a typical ancient family in China. Zeng Wenbo, his wife's great-mother, his concubine Gui Yi, the other three sons and daughters-in-law, and groups of servant girls, all of whom have their own homes, but they are combined in a big family, and they have a * * * interest. And each daughter-in-law involves two other big families: the Niu family and the Yao family, which is the ancient marriage life of strong and powerful alliance.
This big family of the Zeng family is also a picture that Lao Mouzi's "Hanging the Red Lantern High" and "Chrysanthemum Bean" showed to foreigners. Lao Mouzi's winning these works is second. What's important is that for a long time, these earliest film and television works abroad have made many foreigners still think of China people as wives and concubines and men big braid. However, "Clouds in Beijing" not only shows such a scene, because there is also a free atmosphere of equality between men and women and monogamy brought by the May 4th Movement.
the turbulent background, the ups and downs of three families, and the joys and sorrows of three generations
Unlike the Yuanyang Butterfly drama, the war is artificially regarded as the background of their own love affairs. In "Clouds of Peking", from the May 4th ideological liberation and the warlord scuffle to the Republic of China, and then to War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, it is in this turbulent situation that "Clouds of Peking" shows the ups and downs of three families and the joys and sorrows of three generations.
Niu Jia is the best example of this background. From the triumph of the Niu family to its eternal infamy, to Niu Huaiyu's becoming a traitor and Niu Suyun's selling drugs for Japan, all these show such a heavy history of China.
Beautiful scenery, exquisite and elegant cheongsam, and atmospheric music
Throughout Clouds in Beijing, golden ginkgo leaves, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, a full moon hanging on the branches, Gu Lou at dusk, and a misty white tower in the morning are constantly appearing, which is beautiful without losing the atmosphere. In particular, in the scene of enjoying the scenery in the Western Hills, a bridge, a stone tablet, and a cornice walk over the wall, the Beijing flavor of old Beijing was revealed bit by bit. From this point of view, the delicate and narrow scenery of the old version of "Clouds in Beijing" was defeated in this respect.
there is also a set of exquisite cheongsam, which is worn on several wealthy families and has endless charm. For example, in a scene where Mulan arranged Sunya and Cao Lihua to meet, Mulan's yellow cheongsam was absolutely beautiful. What could better reflect the elegance of China women?
In addition, both the background music of the whole play and the theme song Discovery are from Wang Liguang, a mainland music master, and there is an atmosphere everywhere. Listening to the song "Discovery" alone, maybe I just feel the lyrics are beautiful, and the song feels three sighs. But after watching the play, listening to it really laments Mulan's life and everyone's life in the play.
Heroes of Heaven and Earth and Seven Swords all have their own soundtracks, while mainland TV dramas, unlike Korean TV dramas, rarely have their own music tapes. And the soundtrack, VCD and DVD of this "Clouds in Beijing" flocked to the market together. With Wang Liguang's own hands, "Clouds in Beijing" is more magnificent, and the music sets off the joys and sorrows of the characters' fate.
Many people are dismissive of Dae Jang Geum, which is invincible in Asia and even the United States, but these people may criticize it without watching it. Such comments are unconvincing. After watching Dae Jang Geum, the food culture in the play makes people linger, which is also a place that Koreans are proud of. However, compared with Da Jang Geum, Smoke in Beijing is not inferior at all. If the coaxing of "Dae Jang Geum" adds points to the national image of South Korea, then the above mentioned is enough to make the China culture displayed after the "export" of "Clouds in Peking" worthy of our showing off and pride. When the image of big braid, a man from China, displayed by Lao Mouzi is still delayed, in these countries and regions, Clouds in Beijing will undoubtedly add luster to China's image, and even add icing on the cake.
Because of these cultural atmosphere, the excellent script, the superb performance of the actors, and the coverage of CCTV, this movie "Clouds in Beijing" is destined to blossom inside the wall, and it is also red outside the wall.