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Showing TV dramas in a better light

By Mu Qian (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-18 09:06

A scene from Qing Dynasty drama A Prince's Secret History. Although popular here, Chinese TV dramas are virtually unknown outside the country.

A recent story of mine about how Chinese TV dramas failed to gain popularity outside China has attracted a lot of comments.

One foreign reader said: "Personally, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) dramas don't interest me and many females because the men look unattractive. But guys in earlier period dramas look handsome and have a better image".

A Chinese professor raised a more serious point: "I don't think our TV serials should try to please and cater to global audiences. If they want to watch our TV serials, OK. If they don't want to, also OK. They can watch their own Sex and the City or Sopranos, etc."

Instead of producing TV dramas with handsome Chinese guys to cater to foreign audiences, the professor believes we should make more TV dramas that are educational. "Making lots of money should not be the most important aim," he added.

While grateful for such feedback, I hold a different view. I think exporting TV series is not only about money. It's about spreading culture and improving the world's understanding of China, which is vitally important in the long run.

We often say that Westerners have a lot of misunderstandings and bias against China, but maybe we should also ask ourselves, what have we done to let others better understand us?

How much can we expect an ordinary American to understand China when there are no channels for him or her to know about China or its people except through Western media? In comparison, music, TV dramas, films, sports, and books from the West overwhelm us. Many Chinese people are Westernized today. It seems we are losing the game.

For instance, many of us remember CNN host Jack Cafferty's unflattering remarks about the Chinese government: "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." Of course we can say he's ignorant, but sadly his views represent those of a substantial number of people in the West.

As an American colleague of mine puts it: "When people around the world watched the news about 9/11, they thought of numerous TV series with the backdrop of the World Trade Center and easily sympathized with the people in it, but there's nothing like that to refer to when we hear similar news from China. Maybe we badly need a Chinese soap opera."

The Chinese government has realized this and is now trying to boost the influence of China through encouraging the export of Chinese books, films and TV plays, and establishing Confucius Institutes around the world. This is intended to build China's soft power.

But how can we make our cultural products more popular? Not every one wants to be educated by a TV drama. Of course serious historical TV plays are valuable, but people also need lighter dramas.

If we compare a Chinese TV drama made today and one from 30 years ago, I believe most people would prefer to watch the new version, because today's TV serial makers have learned to tell stories rather than giving lectures.

I don't think what Chinese TV drama makers need to do is to "cater to" foreign audiences. We just need to repackage them to make them more appealing. Good plot development, interesting characters and subjects all help. There's no reason why we can't make a TV drama that appeals to foreign audiences without misrepresenting Chinese society.