Hardware Carnival

Author: Hao Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Hardware Carnival collects Hao Jian's recent art reviews, covering popular films of recent years, trending historical dramas, widely broadcasted Japanese dramas on various TV stations, the rising tide of Hollywood and Hollywood-style films, and more. These reviews firmly ground their perspectives within the contemporary Chinese context, reflecting a genuine critical spirit and intellectual depth. As a product of Western-influenced mass culture studies and criticism, it has long been trapped within the confines of Western theories, losing its vibrant vitality and ultimately detached from the real cultural context. It has become the intellectual elite standing on the walls of the besieged city, overlooking and indulging in self-serving fantasies. However, Hao Jian strives to break free from these confines, examining mass culture without "colored glasses," with a sincere focus on society and humanity as his foundation, completely shedding the practice of theoretical jargon and discourse performance. This value orientation drives him to guide readers "out of the swamp of deception and lies."
The dominance of commercial mass culture in the grassroots while being marginalized in mainstream media and discourse is an ironic reality. It carries the of severely corrupting traditional humanistic values, causing concern, yet it continues to thrive and flourish. Some even call the era of commercial culture the "age of the carnival of gods." Hao Jian terms it "cultural misalignment dominance." He observes the absence of individuals in the bustling "carnival of gods," where we mistake prescribed tastes for pleasure, mechanical artistic conventions for creativity, and the push toward centralized values for the people's own free choice. This constrained carnival is essentially a synchronized aesthetic march, a collective exercise in collectivism, a forced carnival. Behind the seemingly prosperous "carnival of gods" lies the sorrow and struggles of ordinary people, yet few pay attention. The true state of culture is ignored, with the castration of "discourse heroes" being a typical and harrowing example of our nation's speechlessness. In an era that appears to be all about romance and beauty, true intellectuals are not deceived by superficial illusions. They discern dynamic crises in the evolving social reality.
In the essay The Sighs of the Boxers, Hao Jian sharply points out, "Today, some songs may not impress the masses but benefit others. To deliver a wake-up call to the contented and joyful crowd, seeking the self-righteous satisfaction of being a voice in the wilderness—this is the typical mindset of traditional sage-like intellectuals." When it comes to intellectuals and artists who should possess a critical spirit, Hao Jian mercilessly criticizes those who use "confusion and misinterpretation" to gain mainstream recognition. He even goes all out in his attacks, as seen most vividly in Zhang Yimou's Exit Show.
Also, based on a universal value system, he vigorously promotes culture that truly roots in the grassroots. Towards Hollywood films, he often lacks an objective attitude, either attacking them recklessly or expressing deep sorrow. Rather than condemning the public's enthusiasm, he questions the reasons behind it. Only by deciphering the "code" of why dominant culture is dominant can we help cultures rise. This attitude permeates Hao Jian's reflections on Hollywood. The "code" behind Hollywood's dominance lies in its respect and expression of universal commercial ethics. Rather than saying Hao Jian studies Hollywood, it is more accurate to say he leans toward using Hollywood films and their reception in China to examine contemporary Chinese social and cultural issues. The Chinese reality has always been his anchor.