The 1994 film To Live, directed by Chinese cinematographer Yimou Zhang, is a film that captures the three decades from the 1940’s to the 70’s in China, from the Communist uprising to the cultural revolution. Its story is centered around a wealthy family’s fall from grace, from wealthy landowners to working-class citizens. In this film, Yimou Zhang presents a criticism of the Chinese communist government that earned him a two year ban from making films in his home country.
Fugui, the lead character, is a man of his vices, and initially presents to the viewer as a man that we are not to like. He is selfish and impulsive. The viewer is introduced to him through his gambling addiction, which serves to only show him in a negative light. He loses his home and his family. He hits the bottom. He falls as low as he could. It is often said that reaching that point is sometimes what is required to really change a person.
Oh, and how he changes. When he returns to his family, proclaiming his newfound lack of a habit, the viewers first instinct might be to not trust him completely. They might expect to see him regress and fall back into his old ways. However, it soon becomes clear that this is not that kind of story. This is a redemption story where this man’s personal growth will be challenged for the viewer to see. What is to be seen beyond this point is his battle with fear. That is what most battles are fought against, really. Fear of not fitting in, fear of being accused, fear of an opposing ideology, fear of being found to be an imposter are all fears that Fugui faces in his trial through the times of the Chinese revolution.
Fugui’s character arc runs in an undeniably upward trend, with a few significant turns. His wife blames him for beating their son after he stands up to his sisters bullies and again when he wakes him to go to the smelting factory that was masquerading as a school. She blames him for his death, and in the end he is seen blaming himself for the death of their daughter, even though, tragically, this is the one thing for which he cannot be blamed. The death of his daughter was the result of a good deed he had done, not a negligent one. It came from a good place, not one of being afraid of not conforming.
Fugui’s character arc is representative of an anti-communist sentiment. Throughout the narrative, the viewer is meant to think negatively of the communist actions within the community, as they result in the family’s misfortune, while familial ties are promoted over that of the party and the community. The filmmaker means to cast light on the drawbacks of communism. He means to show that sometimes what you are gaining might not be worth what you lose.
The Bibliophile 