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Journal of Film Studies ›› 2026, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (1): 39-48.

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On the Formation and Evolution of the Emotional
Spectrum in Chinese Red Films
Abstract: Approaching the emotional spectrum of Chi

  

  • Online:2026-03-10 Published:2026-03-10

Abstract:

Approaching the emotional spectrum of Chinese Red
films and its evolutionary logic from the perspective of affective
history reveals that their emotional structure has undergone
three distinct historical phases. During the ‘Seventeen Years’
period (1949–1966), the emotional core centered on the dual
pathways of ‘revolutionary passion’ and ‘class-based love and
hate,’ which legitimized the new regime through narratives of
‘recalling past bitterness and celebrating present sweetness’
and through heroic mythmaking. In the New Period (1977–2012),
emotional emphasis shifted toward a dialectical synthesis of
‘national pathos’ and ‘national glory,’ providing an affective
foundation for national identity by simultaneously healing
historical trauma and extolling national development. Entering
the New Era (2012–present), emotional expression has evolved
into an internalized symbiosis of ‘great-power confidence’
and ‘individual belonging.’ Through narratives of embodied
strength, justified action, and micro-narratives that analogize
family and nation, national identity becomes deeply rooted in
individual emotional consciousness and identity affiliation.
Overall, this evolution reflects China’s grand historical trajectory
from political revolution to state governance, and onward toward
national rejuvenation.

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