Movies expressing anti-American sentiments are consecutively ranking 1st and 2nd in box office sales in China. A fantasy animation satirizing the hegemonic competition between the United States and China is breaking various records in the Chinese movie market, while a film featuring Chinese laborers known as 'coolies' who suffered poor treatment in the United States around the turn of the 1900s is gaining word-of-mouth popularity. China is engaged in a trade war that has intensified since Donald Trump was elected as U.S. president. If anti-U.S. sentiment spreads through movies, it can gain momentum to counter the U.S.
According to Chinese economic media Financial News and others on the 11th, 'Nezha: The Devil's Child' (哪吒之魔童闹海·hereafter Nezha 2), which premiered on the 29th of last month, had a box office income of 8.6 billion yuan (approximately 1.7 trillion won) as of the 10th. This makes Nezha 2 the world's first movie to surpass $1 billion (approximately 1.5 trillion won) in box office revenue in a single market. It is also the first Asian film to enter the top 30 in the global box office rankings.
Nezha 2 is a fantasy animation adapted from the mythological hero Nezha (哪吒), from the Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi.' It is a sequel to 'Nezha: The Devil's Child' (哪吒之魔童降世·hereafter Nezha 1), which was released in 2019. The original story portrays Nezha, born with the fate of being the 'Dark Lord' in the human world, fighting against the world's prejudices and fate. Nezha 2 shows his growth through hardships and trials as Nezha, now a mere spirit, re-creates his body.
A closer analysis of Nezha 2 reveals that it intricately weaves metaphors related to the power struggle between the U.S. and China. Nezha's process of opposing the absurdities of the heavenly realm implies a resistance to the U.S.-led world order and emphasizes the need for multilateral coexistence. Details supporting the notion that the film targets the U.S. include the resemblance of 'Yuxu Palace' (玉虚宮), the heart of the heavenly realm, to the U.S. Department of Defense building, the appearance of dollar ($) symbols in various patterns, and the depiction of American eagle symbols on the jade tokens received by those who have attained immortality.
The character settings also reflect China's perspective on the United States. The character Wuliangxianwong (无量仙翁), a powerful figure in the heavenly realm, wields absolute authority, causing problems, which represents the U.S. interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under various pretexts. The East Sea Dragon King Aoguang (敖光) comments on Wuliangxianwong, saying, "Claims to be a lighthouse of the world but harms all living beings." This is interpreted as a critique of the U.S. behavior of creating international chaos while claiming to be a 'lighthouse of democracy.'
Nezha 2 is not the only film expressing anti-American sentiments. Currently, 'Tang Tan 1900' (唐探 1900), which is ranking second at the Chinese box office after Nezha 2, also contains such coding. The film is set in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1900. With a Chinese individual identified as a suspect in a white homicide case, Chinatown faces a closure crisis, depicting the protagonists' efforts to resolve this. Although the movie is classified as a comedy-action genre, Chinese audiences are focusing on the underpaid Chinese laborers, known as 'coolies,' who appeared during that era in the U.S. The main character, A Gui (阿鬼), also had a father who participated as a coolie in the construction of American railroads.
In reality, at the end of the 19th century, peasants from the declining Qing Dynasty crossed over to the U.S. to work on various social infrastructure construction sites, such as roads and railroads, for low wages. They reportedly suffered from various discrimination and poor treatment during that time. China views this period as having contributed to filling the labor market gap in the U.S. and aiding in its economic development and social stability, yet believes the U.S. did not treat them adequately. A representative scene in the film is where American party-goers enjoy drinking while Chinese laborers are shown drenched in oil under the scorching sun. A businessperson in China noted, "The film conveys that there is clearly a message about China's role leading to America's developments."
China is known to conduct strict censorship on content like movies. It can be said that there is no part of production and distribution free from government influence. Considering that Nezha 2 and Tang Tan 1900 occupy most of the screening time in Chinese cinemas, it suggests that the Chinese government is at least tacitly endorsing the formation of anti-American sentiment. This could assist China in its trade war against the U.S. While some voices may call for quick negotiations with the U.S. due to China's sluggish economy, others argue that it should rather fight against the U.S. It was reported by Chinese media that "Through movies, it is realized that only through unity can our country become stronger."