Political Philosophy of Chinese Historical TV-Shows

Abstract

Based on the analysis of Chinese historical or quasi-historical TV-series the article studies the views of the present-day Chinese people of state, nation, human rights and a person’s duties towards the society, of the optimal methods of government and persons fit to govern, of China’s role and place in the international relations system. The author singles out statism, monarchism, paternalistic expectations, chauvinism as the ideas explicitly or latently underlying this political ideological complex. Due to the considerable growth of modern Chinese women’s economic status and independence, the author finds it necessary to pay special attention to the political worldview the historical cinematography presumes female audience to harbor or undertakes to impose upon them. The article shows that a number of political ideas have evolved from traditional to more modern forms because of the changes in the society, namely the view of female rulers has become more favorable; the idea of the civil and military officers’ role in the state government has somewhat shifted; the image of a barbarian has acquired the features of the junior, sub-dominant partner in the friendly communication. Yet the author emphasizes the general tendency of Chinese political thought to preserve its direct continuity with the traditional political philosophy of ancient China as formulated in the wake of the Common Era.