General History of Chinese Film I 1896–1949 Routledge Studies in Chinese Cinema Series

The early years of the history of Chinese film have lately been the subject of resurgent interest and a growing body of scholarship has come to recognise and identify an extraordinarily diverse and complex period. This volume explores the development of Chinese film from 1896 to 1949.

The volume covers the screening of foreign films in Shanghai, Hong Kong and other coastal cities in China, the technological and industrial development of Chinese national cinema, key filmmakers and actors of early Chinese cinema, changing modes of representation and narration, as well as the social and cultural contexts within which early Chinese films were produced and circulated. The relationship between the War of Resistance against Japan and the Chinese civil war and Chinese film is also explored.

The book will be essential reading for scholars and students in film studies, Chinese studies, cultural studies and media studies, helping readers develop a comprehensive understanding of Chinese film.

Ding Yaping is the Director of the Film and Television Research Institute of the Chinese National Academy of Arts. He specializes in the history of Chinese film and has published more than 20 monographs.

Jin Haina is professor of translation, film and communication studies at the Communication University of China. Her research interests include film translation, translation history, and film history.