School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, Queen’s University Belfast

In the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai became a dynamic metropolis, blending Western influences with traditional Chinese culture and creating a unique urban atmosphere. This fusion of ideas and aesthetics shaped every aspect of city life, especially cinema, which was pivotal in expressing and influencing this cultural combination.

Gu Si-Yang examines films from this era that captured the tensions between tradition and progress, offering a window into a society’s hopes, struggles, and aspirations on the verge of transformation. This speech delves deeper into these cinematic and cultural developments, exploring their lasting impact on Shanghai and the broader trajectory of Chinese modernity.