Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a box office success, and in Southeast Texas, it seems the people the film set out to represent are loving it — the ones who see it, anyway.
But not everyone is.
The film set out to be for Asian-Americans what Black Panther was for African-Americans — a chance for a marginalized ethnic group to see themselves on the big screen in something other than a supporting or comedic role. But when Shang-Chi debuted September 3, it was censored in China over concerns about the corresponding comic book’s racist roots.
In China, one of the biggest markets for Hollywood, foreign films have to be approved by the local government. And Shang-Chi has not been approved.
“I’m not sure about China because they are so sensitive right now.” said Yaying “Alice” Lu, a Taiwanese student of Chinese descent who came to America to study accounting at Lamar University and who plans to watch the movie on Disney+. “They think everything is trying to insult them.”
There is some truth behind these feelings.
In 1913, an English novelist named Sax Rohmer published a novel called “The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu.” The first book spawned a series of others and in 1973, Marvel licensed the titular character for a line of comic books in which Manchu was Shang-Chi’s father. But Fu Manchu was based off of racist Asian stereotypes. He was a mystic villain with yellow skin; long, curved fingernails; and a long, thin mustache. He embodied “yellow peril” — the idea that Asians are the “yellow man” who wants to conquer the West.
While the first book was published more than a century ago, anti-Asian hate has seen a resurgence during the coronavirus pandemic.
“When that anti-Asian hate started, it reminded me of the stuff I dealt with when I was younger,” said William Fermo, a Filipino-American who moved to Beaumont from Oklahoma more than thirty years ago. “That stuff is deep. It really opens up the wounds.”
He recalled a middle school teacher asking him if he spoke English when he asked for help. English was all he had ever spoken. He was born in America.
The teacher asked again if he spoke English — it was like a punchline Fermo said — and the whole class laughed. After he went home crying, the vice principal, teacher, Fermo and his mom had a meeting. On the spot, the vice principal asked if he wanted to switch teachers and he declined.
“I didn’t know what to do. I don’t know why he gave me the option,” Fermo said, reflecting now as an adult. “I said no because I didn’t want the other kids to know that that was the reason I was being switched. That really was a pretty traumatic thing for me as a kid when a teacher looks at you like that.”
Fermo and his friends went to see Shang-Chi together and didn’t find it racially offensive. In fact, the director and studio made a concerted effort to modernize the old story to be more inclusive.
“This movie is representative of a thing that has not happened, generally, in Western culture, which is a $200 million investment in Asian faces,” screenwriter Dave Callaham told Forbes.
He is half-Chinese and writing the script was cathartic for him.
“It was important to me that Asian audiences felt seen. So any references, or experiences that I had that I thought might be validating to an Asian audience member I wrote in,” he said.
And it seems to have struck a chord with many local Asian-Americans.
“It’s not the stereotypical Asian story line. It’s actually, like, the opposite,” said 15-year-old Joanne Yi, a Korean-American high schooler in Lumberton. “Usually, family is number one. In this (movie), it is too, but they had to turn on each other.”
“I think it’s promising to see that Hollywood is connecting a little bit more with people’s roots and backgrounds,” said Harold Yi, Joanne’s father. “Most of the time, Asians are viewed as very smart, very successful, very hardworking, and the two main characters were very disappointing.”
The family laughed.
“If you’re an Asian parent, that’s what you don’t want,” said Joanne, referencing the protagonist and his friend who began the movie hotel valets. “It’s relatable.”
“Like a demanding dad?” Harold cut in, teasing. “A dad that wants you to achieve? In a certain way that’s different from what your own vision is?”
“No.” Joanne said emphatically. “No.”
Overall, Harold thought the directors and scriptwriters understood that Asian culture is not one-dimensional and it made a good origin story. Christina Yi, his wife, really liked the kung-fu. Eunice Yi, their daughter, said that she just liked the story.
But for the youngest Yi, the focus isn’t on ethnic representation.
“I just like Marvel because I like the action,” said Joshua Yi, a seventh grader. “I don’t really care.”
“It’s good to see progress,” Harold said. “It’s a step forward.”
rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com
twitter.com/ontheREKord
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