Study of Urban Image in Chinese-American Films from the Perspective of the Other: A Case Study of The Farewell

This paper aims to investigate urban images in Chinese-American films from the perspective of The Other. Kevin Lynch linked urban spaces with human values, constructing a normative theory of the city that holds significant importance in studying urban images. However, current scholarly attention towards urban images in Chinese-American films is relatively scant, and research into the cultural value meanings behind these images is also limited. The Farewell (2019), directed by Chinese-American filmmaker Lulu Wang (1983-), is a film shot with an all-Asian cast, depicting a heartwarming story between generations in Changchun, China. Drawing on Lynchs The Image of the City, this paper undertakes a deep exploration of the urban image of Changchun depicted in this film. It analyzes the readability of the urban image of Changchun through five elements: paths, edges, districts, nodes, landmarks, and further explores the cultural connotations behind the urban image in Chinese-American films. This paper argues that The Farewell has not fully escaped the constraints of orientalism, presenting Changchun as still adhering to an oriental symbol catering to Western curiosity as The Other.