Why do I think Turning Red is a gift to Asian girls?
(Spoiler alert: if you haven’t seen this movie and you don’t want to be spoiled, stop reading now.)
As a young Chinese woman, the film's protagonist's growing pains are extremely similar to my experiences. I saw a lot of myself as a child in it, and I found solace and encouragement in this film. I had to write down my feelings and tell other Asian girls, "Come see this movie! Your growing pains and movements are meaningful!"
About Turning Red
Pixar released a well-received animation film Turning Red earlier this year. The adorable red panda and the realistic and moving story were not only recognized in the West but also generated a lot of buzz in Asia.
The film tells the story of an ordinary 13-year-old Canadian Chinese girl named Meilin Lee who grows up. "Turning Red" means that whenever Meilin gets emotional, she turns into a red panda.
The theme of the film is related to Asian family relationships. Meilin grew up listening to her mother and longing for her mother's approval. Meanwhile, the red panda has been hidden by Meilin as a secret to getting happiness with her friends. Finally, one day, Meilin's mother discovers her secret and turns into a stronger red panda out of anger. Meilin uses her strength and love to turn her mother back and convinces her mother to let her keep her red panda inside her.
Our Adolescence
I really appreciated this film's effort to reflect Chinese families living in Western countries, it was very real and empathetic. I have to say that every time when I watch a western production about China, there is always some bias because they don't know much about Chinese culture, which can lead to many misunderstandings. This film was directed by a Chinese-Canadian director Domee Shi, and its storytelling is in a sense more in line with the Chinese immigrant community, which may have more resonance when watching it.
I have some embarrassing memories of the shame of menstruation, and at 14-year-old, I had a crush on the tall, skinny, singing boy in my class. But my mother, like Meilin's mother, thought that crushes were bad behavior and my friends at the time had a negative rebellious influence on me. During my adolescence, my mom was also the judge and standard for all my life. Expressing or choosing what I wanted different from my mother would have sent me into a very large sense of panic and unease.
There is no doubt that the metaphor of the red panda is evident in this film. It not only suggests the arrival of a girl's first menstrual period but also becomes a sign of the changes that occur when a child enters puberty. The giant red panda, which is so conspicuous, contains its animalistic impulses and instincts. As a metaphor for adolescent women, it seems appropriate enough. In the film, the girl suddenly turns into a red panda at the age of 13. The shame and fear she feels while she grows to love herself as a red panda is a release of her instincts.
The process of teenage menarche, the hazy sexual impulse towards the opposite sex, and the emotional adolescence are all processes that every woman has to go through. Like the red pandas, all of this is so strong in a woman's sense of self that she needs to hide it from others and suppress her true feelings. In traditional Chinese families, there is little education and guidance in this area, but more avoidance and repression. Parents want their daughters to always be pure in heart and mind, and always follow the route they have planned. At the same time, parents want their children to grow up healthy and happy as independent and outstanding individuals. In this intergenerational conflict, it is common for Asian (not all) children to go through a painful process of self-acceptance.
Grow up, and Change
Another aspect of the film that must be mentioned is its understanding of traditional Chinese culture. The temples, the Taoism, the gods, the pandas, and the various domestic scenes are all incredibly relatable. It is probably because of the special situation of the Chinese community that such traditions are usually niche and "weird" and not accepted by everyone around. From worshipping ancestors to cleaning temples, Mei Mei grew up with this tradition and was pressured by her mother to "not make any mistakes".
The girl's mother is also from the beginning of absolute obedience to later outbursts, and then the final "Armageddon" and reconciliation. Some of the mother's actions are indeed inappropriate: such as the daughter's crush on the object of the fanfare, such as the secret to the school despite the eyes of others to send Meilin sanitary napkins, and despite the strong pressure of their own mother, but still put too much pressure and love on their own daughter.
After I became an adult and left my family to live independently, even though I have learned to build my own worldview and values and have dominant control over my life, I still get nervous when I spend time with my family and feel regret and sad when I remember the past.
This is indeed the hidden pain of generations of parents, and what happens to generations of teenagers. The transition from girlhood to womanhood, from motherhood to adult equality, and the scientific treatment of issues such as menstrual shame, sexual shame, and emotionalism seem to be worth exploring for any people.
The "red panda gene" of the protagonist Meilin Lee's family, including their fairy-like ancestors, represents confinement of nature in addition to a manifestation of female power. Because of a set of "teachings" and "rituals" passed down from generation to generation, the "red panda", representing the freedom and chaos of adolescence, is permanently confined to the bamboo forest. It was not until the emergence of Li Mei Lin that the red panda was not treated as a "bad presence" and was preserved.
In the end, Meilin leaves behind the red panda, meaning that Meilin finally accepts her original self and reconciles with the traditional views represented by her mother. It is a positive ending that gives the girls growing up today a greater sense of happiness and hope.
When you think about it, our adolescence is indeed full of embarrassing ignorance and sneaky crushes, in addition to endless schooling. The pressure and confinement come not only from the family and school but also from the people themself.
More thoughts
As for which is better, the traditional education of the East or the western way? It seems that there will never be a definite conclusion. But I believe that with the progress of the times, the improvement of education is just around the corner. Instead of arguing whether the characters in the movie really exist in reality (in fact, most of the story comes from the director's true experience), we should see the positive inspiration this story gives us: to understand and embrace our own "red panda" and, as far as possible, to understand and embrace our own children's "red panda "to give ourselves and others more independence within the bounds of reason. It also understands that being a woman is a powerful and beautiful thing.
Although this movie weakens the deep-rooted intergenerational conflicts in Asian families into the image of a cute and empowering red panda, it is a very worthwhile movie for Asian families in general. I believe that not only the girls will be encouraged and recognized, but the boys will also have a deeper understanding and more appropriate respect for the girls' thoughts and growth.
Reference:
https://movie.douban.com/subject/35284253/
