“Ju Dou”: A Stories Told in Colors

Conveying an intended message within a story can be undertaken through different platforms ranging from symbolic aspects to metaphors. More importantly, building a correlation of the selected methodology with the audience is vital in ensuring that the message is adequately conveyed. In the Chinese culture, colors are fundamental in expressing different issues, or rather communicating the underlying emotions towards a particular element. The film “Ju Dou,” which was directed by Zhang Yimou & Yang Fengliang, is presented in a unique manner due to the plot context setting, and the relevance of the subjects highlighted within the material. The aspect of utilizing colors is a major thematic component that influences the ability of the audience to understand the film. In addition, this aspect of colors is presented throughout the film and metaphorically demonstrates the significance of the various themes within the movie. Even though Ju Dou has employed various literature stylistic components, the most notable is the utilization of different thematic colors as a platform of stressing the significance of the underlying themes.

The ability of the directors to efficiently align the use of colors with the topic being conveyed has influenced the capability of the audience to discern the essence of the underlying issues. The positioning of these color component has been integrated effectually to ensure that the viewers can interpret these aspects appropriately. The continuous use of this approach has resulted in the film being depicted based on the nature of the colors used. Notably, the plot setting of the movie, in a dye house, is an approach that influences the ability of the director to convey the underlying subjects within the movie effectively.

The use of the color red has been influential in stressing the theme of passion in the film. The director’s ability to adequately align the passion between Yang Tianqing and Ju Dou with the color red is important in demonstrating the underlying story being told within different scenes of the movie. During the initial parts of the movie, there is a scene that Tianqing peeps Ju Dou as she baths. Importantly, Ju Dou is wearing red clothing, which falls after she realizes that Tianqing is watching her. The attribute of the clothing being red is a symbolic aspect that demonstrates the strong attraction that Tianqing feels towards Jo Dou.

Notably, the symbolism of red clothing is further complemented by the aspect of the clothing falling, which demonstrates the strength of the passion between Tianqing and Jo Dou. This depicts a strong force that is drawing these two characters into each other as the falling of the clothing is illustrated in a manner that Jo Dou did not have control of the situation. Hence, the existence of this attribute has been an essential element that facilitates the way the story is being told in the film as the audience can forecast the nature of the relationship that would prevail between these two characters. The anticipation in the audience is vital in ensuring that they build coherent conclusions concerning the theme of passion. Consequently enough, red has been used as a color of illustrating part of the movie’s plot, which is essential in understanding its progression.

Furthermore, red has also been used to demonstrate the emotion of anger in the film. The director utilizes red background colors when Tianqing discovers that his uncle Yang Jinshan has been mistreating Jo Dou. The inclusion of this red color presents an ideal platform to understand the emotions of anger held by Tianqing towards his uncle. The effectual comprehension of this aspect among the viewers helps them understand the relationship of Jinshan and Tianqing. This is paramount in ensuring that the viewers understand the different segments of the plot. Significantly, it aids in demonstrating the displeasure that Tianqing has towards his uncle’s actions of torturing Ju Dou. As a result, it presents a perfect platform, among the audience, for evaluating the factors that push Tianqing to have such an intense hatred, which is an attraction towards Ju Dou. The use of the color red becomes necessary in advancing the plot of the movie as it has become a symbol of anger. 

The theme of anger is further highlighted in the film, through the use of the color red, in the last scenes of the movie. Jinshan anger towards his nephew and wife is supported by the efficient utilization of the thematic color that helps to demonstrate the remorse that he holds. In the scene where Jinshan strives to burn down the house, red clothing in the background of the scene is presumably a color that advances understanding of his emotions. Notably, it helps in depicting the feeling of betrayal and deception in Jinshan due to Tianqing and Ju Dou actions of lying to him regarding the birth father of Tianbai. “For that reason, the attribute of Jinshan seeking vengeance is adequately demonstrated within the film” (Cardullo 99). In addition to this, the massive red flames are also influential as they help in advancing the progression of the plot regarding the consequences of Ju Dou and Tianqing illicit affair. The symbolic nature of red illustrates that the social stratification and approach that Tianqing and Ju Dou are living under is not accommodative of their actions. Consequently enough, this symbolism has been actualized through the infusion of the color red, and illustrates that the plot of the movie relies profoundly on the use of colors to tell the story.

The attribute of using colors has been used throughout the film to demonstrate Ju Dou’s and Tianqing’s defiance of the social order within their society. “This aspect is stressed in the scene where red clothes flip from the wall reel as they engage in sexual intercourse” (Bettinson 114). The falling of the red sheets is a metaphorical component that is essential in illustrating the extent to which Tianqing and Ju Dou are willing to go for their relationship willing and also ensuring that they remain together.

Significantly, the fall represents that these two characters have contravened a social norm of refraining from engaging in an affair while not married. This helps to demonstrate that the attribute of Ju Dou being married to Jinshan, does not impede the two characters from having an intimate relationship. This only aids in revealing the compelling force of stability and love that Tianqing and Ju Dou exhibit, and shows that they have a strong conviction to remain together. The efficient integration of this phenomenon in the film aids in ensuring that the continuity within the film is attained. Thus, it impacts the continuousness of the movie regarding the transition from one scene to another, which is majorly influenced by the appropriate selection of colors.

In addition to passion and anger, colors were used to advance the theme of death in the film, which is influential in explaining many different scenes throughout. Importantly, red is primarily the color used to demonstrate these ideas, as Chinese literature often associated the color with death. In one of the last scenes of the movie, Tianbai is shown drowning Tianqing in a dye container, containing a red dye. During this scene, the attribute of using the red color increases the ability of the viewers to discern that the death of Tianqing is inevitable as he is being drowned in red dye. Therefore, this advances the progression of the plot and enhances the capability of the audience to understand Tianbai’s willingness to assert vengeance due to the deception his biological parents. This scene aids in demonstrating the attribute of retaliation, which had been initiated by Jianshan when he tried to burn down the house and kill Tianqing and Ju Dou. This is also crucial in ensuring that the continuity of the story is achieved.

Jianshan death is portrayed to be due to the fact that he drowned in dye vast, which is colored in red. Similar to Tianqing, Jianshan drowning is equally symbolic as it infers that his chances of being saved from the vast are not possible. His death in the movie is an attribute that is inevitable. The effectiveness of the scene, through the influence of the color red, ensures that the audience can understand the patterns that will characterize the progression of the preceding events in the film. Further, during his funeral, the theme color besides his coffin is also red, which further stresses on the idea of death. The attribute of being dead ensures that the audience can understand the progression of the film’s plot. This has been influenced by the characteristic of actually integrating the color red as a symbol of death. Therefore, it connotes that red has been utilized within the film as a platform of influencing the transition of the plot to the following events.

Moreover, dark colors have been employed in the movie as a platform for advancing critique against feudalistic society. The setting of the film is primarily based on a preconceived order and well defined social order as well as gender roles. The prevailing of such a situation infers that relationships between different individuals within the society rest on the stipulated laws. “As a result, the nature of the relationship between Ju Dou and Tianqing would be described as adulterous as Ju Dou is still married to Jianshan” (Shrage 1). This implies that the existence of a sexual relationship between Ju Dou and Tianqing would be rebellious. Noticeably enough, the nature of color alterations while the two are engaging in intimate moments in the film assist in demonstrating their endeavor to break this order. The use of effectual colors, is an attribute that promotes the understanding of the urges to break these predetermined norms in the society.

 Importantly, the use of dark colored sheets in the background of the scene that  Ju Dou and Tianqing were having intimacy is an illustration of breaking the societal norms that act as a challenge for the two to be together as a couple. The colors are influential in demonstrating a rather socially stratified society and seeks to oppress individuals with a rather low class status.

The element of the color red is also underscored in the last scene of the movie when Ju Dou decides to burn down the dye factory. During this scene, a piece of red clothing, as well as red flames, define the event. It is important to note that Ju Dou’s decision to burn down the house while she is inside, is an aspect that is metaphorical as the dye house is where both Tianqing and Jianshan both died. The attribute of the director portraying the death of Ju Dou in the factory demonstrates the end of the of the love triangle that characterized the film. Ju Dou’s affair started in the same house; therefore, terminating the same relationship in the same building helps in providing closure to the movie. The aspect of integrating a falling red piece of clothing is a conspicuous plot that helps to ensure that the audience understands the importance of colors within the film in advancing plot progression. Further, it is a good platform of summarizing a story characterized by passionate emotions and eventual death.

In conclusion, it is evident that Ju Dou has been influenced by the utilization of different colors to support underlying themes. The aligning of colors with the various issues being conveyed in the film has been undertaken adequately. The director has integrated these components to ensure that the progression of the plot is enhanced, and that the audience is able to relate to the major themes being addressed. The color red is a symbolic color in Chinese literature, and it is used throughout the film to depict many emotions such as death and passion. The film “Ju Dou,” utilized the color red to underscore these elements in the film, and it effectively integrated the color to compliment the characters actions & emotions throughout.

Works Cited

Bettinson, Gary. China: Directory of World Cinema. Bristol, UK, Intellect Books, 2012.

Cardullo, Bert. World Directors and Their Films. Lanham, Md, Scarecrow Press, Inc, 2012.

Shrage, Laurie. Moral Dilemmas of Feminism: Prostitution, Adultery, and Abortion. Routledge,           2013.