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141-496: Zhang directed about 150 films in his career, including Laborer's Love (1922), the earliest complete Chinese film that has survived; Orphan Rescues Grandfather (1923), one of the first Chinese box-office hits; The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (1928), the first martial arts film ; and Sing-Song Girl Red Peony (1931), China's first sound film . After the destruction of Mingxing's studio by Japanese bombing during

282-452: A Gettysburg were fought in Harlem, while the rest of Manhattan remained a non-belligerent observer." An eyewitness at the battle stated that it was "no longer a war between armies, but between races. With mounting fury the two giants, like two men who have started a boxing match and who suddenly find themselves convulsed with hate, sprang at each other’s throat in a tussle in which the only prize

423-673: A 20-day period between October 5 and October 25. The 101st Division alone suffered 3,000 casualties in four days of combat around Wusong Creek, and the 9th division suffered some 9,556 casualties for an advance of 2.5 miles. Despite heavy casualties, the Japanese would eventually breach the Wusong Creek line, seizing the Tangqiaozhan bridge from the Chinese Tax Police Division after two days of intense fighting. However, even though

564-426: A Japanese tank assault with air support broke through the gate the next day. The Chinese defenders were gradually pushed into a shrinking perimeter, and only had 100 troops by sunset. Yao ordered a single soldier to escape the city and deliver news of the unit's impeding fate. The soldier succeeded in delivering his message, which was simply: "We are determined to continue fighting the enemy until each and every one of us

705-513: A connecting device between Carpenter Zheng and Miss Zhu, to allude to the equality between men and women. Compared with previous comedies in China's male-dominated society, it is rare for Chinese love stories in this period to apply this kind of "friendly" drama to the love between a man and a woman. Moreover, the fruit basket which was made by the Carpenter Zheng, contains two functions: one is that it

846-492: A container on a string. This prop not only visualizes the connection between the two characters but also allows for their romantic interest to be revealed and unfolded. Carpenter Zheng shares his affection by gifting Miss Zhu fruit while she sends back her handkerchief as a token of affection, as well as Doctor Zhu's glasses. Connection devices such as these appeared often in the Rube Goldberg comics and Charlie Chaplin films of

987-403: A doctor's daughter is significant as it calls out socially constructed bounds that are upheld by cultural norms and values to limit the movement of individuals' socioeconomic status. While Laborer's Love is now canonized as the earliest surviving complete Chinese film, short comedy films were looked down upon by 1920s Chinese audiences and did not do well at the box office, meaning that the film

1128-410: A fruit peddler. His business attracts a lot of attention from neighborhood children and Carpenter Zheng is kept busy by his work, in contrast to the struggling medical clinic across the street. The clinic is run by Doctor Zhu and his daughter Miss Zhu, and a romantic attraction quickly develops between the young woman and Zheng. The platonic duo communicates with each other by connecting the fruit stand to

1269-516: A sense of national crisis in China. Mingxing made a leftist turn under Zhang's management. He hired a number of leftist writers, who wrote scripts for such films as The Tenderness Market (1933) and Lucky Money (1937). In August 1937, the Battle of Shanghai erupted, and the Imperial Japanese Army occupied Shanghai (except the foreign concessions) after months of fighting. The Mingxing Studio

1410-599: A sign of his laughable pedantry and senility. It implicitly reflects that the modern cultural views aim to abandon the old “pedantry and senility” in China. The theme of parental objection to marriage is uniquely depicted in the film. It draws on struggle based on gender and social class, through Carpenter Zheng, a man of low socioeconomic status wanting to marry a doctor's daughter. Carpenter Zheng and Miss Zhu resist normative marriage practices while also complying with social expectations by way of Carpenter Zheng finding ways to gain acceptable work to gain paternal approval. Despite

1551-715: A thousand troops. 36th staff officer Xiong Xinmin saw a Chinese suicide bomber stop a Japanese tank column by exploding himself beneath the lead tank. On August 22, the Japanese 3rd , 8th , and 11th Divisions made an amphibious assault under the cover of naval bombardment and proceeded to land in Chuanshakou (川沙口), Shizilin (獅子林), and Baoshan (寶山), towns on the northeast coast some fifty kilometers (31 miles) away from downtown Shanghai. Japanese landings in northeast Shanghai suburban areas meant that many Chinese troops, who were deployed in Shanghai's urban center, had to be redeployed to

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1692-536: A total of 3,000 of civilian deaths and injuries resulting from the accidental release of the bombs, with most of the death occurring at the Great World entertainment centre, where civilian refugees had gathered after fleeing from the fighting. The bombing was not an intended attack on the International Settlement: the four errant bombs were intended for the Japanese cruiser Izumo , which was moored nearby in

1833-568: Is a nice Chien Loong vase. I will sell it cheap. (Doctor Zhu): I also have an antique ink spill for sale." The importance of the translation here are the words 乾隆，康熙, and 古瓶. "乾隆" and "康熙" are both the Emperor from the Qing Dynasty, and the word "古瓶" means the old vase that the Emperor owned. Facing the liar holding the so-called "Antiquity" of the Chien Loong period to sell to Doctor Zhu, Doctor Zhu uses

1974-417: Is a product of luck, as many films made during the same period did not survive or were severely damaged due to social unrest and war. As a result of these unfortunate events, Laborer's Love is now the earliest complete film to come out of China, essentially making it a historic document and a representation of early Chinese films. The Star film industry, the commercial pass event, the movie theatre department,

2115-450: Is a reference to an old Chinese folktale that is referenced through how the film balances old traditions with innovations in social norms. The film's narrative adapts this traditional motif in the lovers' use of a string to send objects back and forth to each other in a distinctly modern love story. What is unique about Laborer's Love is that it does not contain the demeanour that is common in early Chinese slapstick comedies, and even uses

2256-420: Is achieved through the filming of two images, which are then combined in postproduction. Furthermore, out-of-focus shots are utilized when Carpenter Zheng puts on Doctor Zhu's glasses, which the audience can see in first-person, through the eyes of Zheng. This shot is framed through the literal frame of the glasses and the lenses blur out the scene. While the shooting of Laborer's Love involved limitations in

2397-564: Is considered one of the founding fathers of Chinese cinema. He directed about 150 films in his career, including The Difficult Couple (1913), the first Chinese feature film; Laborer's Love (1922), the earliest complete Chinese film that has survived; Orphan Rescues Grandfather (1923), one of the first Chinese box-office hits; The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (1928), the earliest martial arts film which started an enormously popular genre; and Sing-Song Girl Red Peony (1931), China's first sound film . Under Zhang's leadership, Mingxing

2538-412: Is from the scene where Carpenter Zheng and Miss Zhu communicate using a container in a line. This scene is similar to Harold Lloyd's Never Weaken (1921). Along with referencing Harold Lloyd, the film incorporates the surprise slide staircase, which was a gag popularized by American silent comedian Buster Keaton in his film The Haunted House (1921) . This appears in the film when Carpenter Zheng modifies

2679-415: Is killed." On the next day, September 6, Baoshan fell. By that point, Japanese artillery strikes had reduced the town to rubble, and Yao had been killed in house-to-house fighting. The entire battalion, except for the single soldier sent outside, was killed in action. The Chinese would continue to sustain this level of casualties throughout the Shanghai campaign. On September 11, with the fall of Baoshan,

2820-451: Is not an accurate representation of the film culture at this point in Chinese history. In the 1920s, 90% of the films released in China were American films, which greatly influenced both Chinese filmmakers and the Chinese film market. Many of the jokes and visual themes in the work were inspired by American silent film comedians Charlie Chaplin , Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton , who are among

2961-477: Is not cited as the first Chinese film . Since the 1890s, China had already experimented with and produced actualités and staged vignettes. However, these earlier films were lost as a result of material degradation, domestic unrest and war—notably the January 28 incident of 1932, in which Japan bombed the city of Shanghai, hitting Mingxing and other film studios. Besides, while Laborer's Love completely survived, it

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3102-559: Is not perfect with margins cut off, celluloid poorly preserved, as well as frames missing. In the making of this film, director Zhang Shichuan takes from the cinema and social movements of Modern China . In 2007, the Australian ensemble Blue Grassy Knoll composed a new score for Laborer's Love and performed it live in Shanghai and Beijing as a part of the Australian Theatre Festival. Laborer's Love ' s survival

3243-469: Is used as a connection device for the doctor's daughter and the carpenter/vendor to communicate love with one another. The second function is that the basket adds a comedic element, as a mischievous device to fool the doctor. Laborer's Love contains additional references to traditional Chinese culture; for example, the scene where Carpenter Zheng breaks open a watermelon. This is a reference to an old Chinese idiom called 破瓜之年( pò guā zhī nián ), meaning that

3384-635: The Asia Film Company , asked Zhang to be their consultant. Despite his lack of experience in filmmaking, Zhang took over the company's work responsibilities. He sought help from Zheng Zhengqiu , a well-known playwright, and the two cofounded the Xinmin (新民) Film Company to make film for the Asia Company. Soon they made China's first feature film, The Difficult Couple , in 1913. However, Xinmin and Asia went out of business when their supply of German film stock

3525-777: The Chinese Air Force at the beginning of full-scale hostilities consisted primarily of Curtiss Hawk IIs and Hawk IIIs (many license-built at the CAMCO plant at the Jianqiao Airbase ) and the Boeing P-26 Model 281 Peashooter . The Chinese pilots in particular used the Hawk IIIs in various multi-role combat operations against Imperial Japanese positions in and around Shanghai, while the P-26 primarily provided escort cover. On August 14,

3666-530: The Republican Era , which officially premiered on October 5, 1922 at the Olympic Theater in Shanghai. It is also known as Romance of a Fruit Peddler or Romance of a Fruit Pedlar ( Chinese : 掷果缘 ; pinyin : zhì guǒ yuán ). Even though filmmaking in China began in the 1890's, Laborer's Love is the earliest complete film from China's early cinematic history that is available today. The film

3807-707: The Sihang Warehouse on the northern bank of the Suzhou Creek . Under the leadership of Whampoa Colonel Xie Jinyuan , the 1st battalion of the 524th regiment rallied some 411 men and officers to make a stand in the five-story "Four Banks" Warehouse (Sihang Warehouse). The building was situated on the Suzhou Creek across from the International Settlement, and was reinforced with rifle slots, machine gun nests and sandbags. Between October 27th and November 1st,

3948-452: The 1910s. Aside from alluding to Harold Lloyd's iconic character, the blurry point-of-view shot of Carpenter Zheng wearing Doctor Zhu's glasses puts the audience in the position of looking in first-person, immersing them in the story world. The blurry vision hints at the idea that Dr. Zhu is literally blind and blind in his priorities in life, putting the profit of his business over the happiness of his daughter. The trick staircase used at

4089-635: The 1937 Battle of Shanghai , Zhang Shichuan made films for the China United Film Production Company (Zhonglian) in Japanese-occupied Shanghai, which led to accusations of treason after the surrender of Japan in 1945. He never recovered from the humiliation, and died in 1953 or 1954. Zhang Shichuan was born Zhang Weitong (张伟通) in Beilun , Ningbo , Zhejiang province. Shichuan was his courtesy name , originally written with

4230-441: The 524th battalion defended Sihang Warehouse against multiple attacks from the Japanese. The warehouse's ten-foot thick walls and proximity to the International Settlement nullified Japanese advantages in firepower, as the Japanese feared accidentally hitting the foreign concessions. As a result, the Chinese managed to beat back several Japanese attacks, which were witnessed by crowds of tens of thousands Westerners and Chinese across

4371-863: The Century made by China's Film Critics Society in 2005. Battle of Shanghai Japanese victory Official Japanese war records : 61,000+ (42,202+ including at least 11,072 killed in action before November 8. After that, there is additional 18,761 casualties for the 9th division alone before December 1); this figure does not include the sick, the repatriated and those who died because of injuries Osprey Publishing 2017 data : 18,800 combat killed ( c.  17,000 plus about 1,800 illness-induced deaths), 35,000–40,000 wounded, and 40,000 sick, KIA figure seconded by General Iwane Matsui 's Speech in 1938 Taishō period Shōwa period The Battle of Shanghai ( traditional Chinese : 淞滬會戰 ; simplified Chinese : 淞沪会战 ; pinyin : Sōng hù huìzhàn )

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4512-474: The Chinese Army moved into defensive positions around the small town of Luodian (羅店), the transportation center connecting Baoshan, downtown Shanghai, Jiading , Songjiang and several other towns with highways. The successful defense of Luodian was strategically paramount to the security of Suzhou and Shanghai; as early as August 29, German adviser Alexander von Falkenhausen had advised Chiang Kai-shek that

4653-644: The Chinese Peace Preservation Corps exchanged small arms fire with Japanese troops in the Zhabei, Wusong, and Jiangwan districts of Shanghai. At about 3 pm the Japanese army crossed over the Bazi Bridge (八字橋) in Zhabei and attacked various centers in the city. The 88th Division retaliated with mortar attacks. Sporadic shooting continued through the day until 4 pm, when Japanese headquarters ordered ships of

4794-434: The Chinese concentrated some 300,000 soldiers there, while the Japanese amassed more than 100,000 troops, supported by naval gunfire, tanks, and aircraft. The carnage and intensity of the resulting battle earned the fight for Luodian the nickname "grinding mill of flesh and blood" (血肉磨坊). Japanese assaults typically began at daybreak with concentrated aerial bombing, followed by the release of observation balloons to pinpoint

4935-430: The Chinese fought against great odds and tried to hold on to the coastal villages as long as they could. It was commonplace for the Japanese to successfully occupy the towns in the day under heavy naval support, only to lose them during the night to Chinese counterattacks. Such attacks and counterattacks continued well into late August, when the fall of Baoshan, a vital coastal town, seemed imminent. Chiang Kai-shek ordered

5076-464: The English-speaking world. There were a large number of foreign audiences in the concession area, and English subtitles were intended for foreign audiences. As a tool to help the audience understand the film, subtitles can enable foreign audiences and Chinese audiences to obtain the same aesthetic experience and cultural identity when watching movies. For example, at the beginning of the film, it has

5217-530: The Huangpu River to avoid encirclement by the Japanese. The defense of Dachang was vital to how long the Chinese army could continue fighting in the Shanghai war zone; for this, Chiang Kai-shek mobilized whatever remaining troops he could find. To compensate for artillery shortages, Matsui massed four Japanese divisions, some 60,000 men, in a 6 mile front to break through the Chinese lines via brute frontal assaults. The Chinese focused their defensive line on

5358-522: The Hueishan docks along with the 36th Division. On August 22, the tanks of the 36th Division reached the docks, but were unable to hold the position for long. The Chinese troops were insufficiently trained in coordinating infantry-tank tactics, and the troops were unable to keep up with the tanks. Without sufficient infantry to protect them, the tanks were vulnerable to Japanese anti-tank weapons and artillery in close quarters and became useless when they entered

5499-456: The Japanese forces smashed into the Chinese defenses across the Wusong Creek, but were immediately met by fierce resistance. The Chinese resisted the assault fiercely, pummeling the Japanese bridgeheads with concentrated and coordinated artillery fire from six artillery battalions, which were reinforced with 2cm and 3.7cm anti-aircraft guns to protect against Japanese aircraft. The two armies would engage in seesaw battles, with little changes in

5640-567: The Japanese penetrated the Wusong Creek line, they were confronted with further belts of similar defenses built around a series of creeks anchored by Zoumatang Creek. The two armies became bogged down in trench warfare around a mostly stagnant frontline, with heavy rains transforming the terrain into a muddy landscape. On October 21, the Guangxi Army under Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi finally arrived to join Chiang Kai-shek's Central Army in

5781-701: The Japanese-controlled company as a branch manager and director. After the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II, Zhang was accused of treason for having worked for the Japanese, but was not officially indicted. He briefly worked in Hong Kong for the Great China Film Company, and in Shanghai for the Datong Film Company, but never recovered from the humiliating label of traitor . He died in Shanghai in 1953 or 1954, aged 64. Zhang Shichuan

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5922-585: The NRA besieged the Japanese Naval Landing Force stationed in Shanghai in bloody urban fighting in an attempt to dislodge them. The second stage lasted from August 23 to October 26, 1937, during which the Japanese launched reinforcing amphibious landings on the Jiangsu coast and the two armies fought a house-to-house battle in the creek country north of Shanghai, with the Japanese attempting to gain control of

6063-516: The Proclamation of Self-Defense and War of Resistance (自衛抗戰聲明書), explaining the government's resolution against Japanese aggression. The Battle of Shanghai had officially begun. American correspondent Edgar Snow described the scenes of the battle while observing from the international zone, "It was as though Verdun had happened on the Seine, in full view of a Right Bank Paris that was neutral; as though

6204-643: The ROCAF bombed the Japanese Navy flagship Izumo . In what became known as "Black Saturday", bombs from ROCAF aircraft fell in the Shanghai International Settlement. While the Chinese pilots were instructed not to fly over the Shanghai International Settlement, the Japanese flagship was berthed right in front of it in what may amount to using the civilian enclave as a human shield ; 700-950 Chinese and foreign civilians were killed outright, with

6345-535: The SEF, led by Iwane Matsui , landed in Liuhe, Wusong (吳淞), and Chuanshakou. Chiang Kai-shek had expected these coastal towns to be vulnerable to Japanese landings and ordered Chen Cheng to reinforce the area with the 18th Army. However, the Chinese were no match for Japanese firepower. The Japanese almost always began their amphibious assaults with heavy naval and air bombardment of the Chinese coastal defense works and trenches . It

6486-530: The Shanghai film and television company, and the Hong Kong Guangya company have used Laborer's Love as a model for short comedy films and were able to release a vast amount of such films. The ideological change from old ideas to new brought on by the May Fourth Movement in 1919, influenced Laborer's Love . In the film, Carpenter Zheng asks Miss Zhu to marry him, an action that was incompatible with

6627-629: The Third Fleet stationed in the Yangtze and the Huangpu River to open fire on Chinese positions in the city. Late that night, Chiang Kai-shek ordered Zhang Zhizhong to begin Chinese offensive operations the next day. The next morning the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) began bombing various Japanese targets and Chinese ground forces attacked at 3 pm. On the same day, August 14, the Chinese government issued

6768-741: The Western Detachment of the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces stationed in Shanghai and his driver, First-Class Seaman Saito Yozo, along with a guard from the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps were found dead around the gate to Hongqiao Airport on Monument Road. Several accounts allege Ōyama and his driver were stopped by the Peace Preservation Corps Guard before Ōyama opened fire and killed them. The Sub-Lieutenant and his driver were then subsequently killed in returning fire from other guards at airport. Ōyama

6909-763: The Whangpoo (Huangpu) river, adjacent to the Bund. Two exploded in Nanking Road and two in front of the Great World Amusement Centre on Avenue Edward VII , killing an estimated 2,000 shoppers and passers-by. Japanese planes responded to the attack on Izumo and the 4th Flying Group of the ROCAF, based in Henan , under the command of Captain Gao Zhihang (高志航), shot down six Japanese planes, while suffering zero losses. (In 1940

7050-515: The Wusong Creek, a natural defensive position with a six-foot tall embankment and a width of up to three hundred feet across. The Chinese, learning from the lessons of their German advisors, had fortified the southern bank with a dense network of defenses, including barbed wire, machine gun nests, artillery emplacements, pillboxes and trenches. The local buildings and farmhouses were reinforced with sandbags and barbed wire, and trees had been cut down to ensure open fields of fire . On October 5,

7191-673: The Zoumatang Creek and pushed the remaining Chinese forces back to Dachang. The Japanese then utilized some 700 artillery pieces and 400 aircraft including 150 bombers for the assault on Dachang and reduced the town to rubble. They then followed up with an armored spearhead of some 40 tanks. The Chinese defenders, having withdrawn their artillery to safer positions beforehand, were outgunned and overwhelmed. The fighting continued until October 26, when Dachang finally fell. By then, Chinese troops had no option but to withdraw from downtown Shanghai, which they had held for almost three months. Starting

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7332-445: The ability of subtitle translators is limited. Many lines of the film seem ordinary to our audience, but they all have cultural connotations. In the process of translation, even if a variety of translation methods such as “demolition” are adopted, the lack of cultural information is inevitable. For example, in the Chinese language, one line goes, "(病人)：不是！我有一只乾隆窑的古瓶，请先生…… （祝医）：我也有一只康熙窑的笔筒，请你买了去吧!" In English, it goes, "(Patient): …swelling

7473-465: The amphibious assaults had only their small-caliber weapons to depend on, and were not sufficiently supported by the ROCAF and the almost nonexistent Chinese navy. They paid heavily for the defense. An entire regiment could be reduced to just a few men in action. In addition, Chinese coastal defense works were hastily constructed and did not offer much protection against enemy attacks, as many trenches were newly constructed during lulls in fighting. Moreover,

7614-517: The battle for Jiangyin began. Military preparations for the battle began on 7 August, when Chinese Secretary of the Navy Chen Shaokuan ordered a blockade at Jiangyin with a force of five light cruisers and one training cruiser along with several mines to prevent Japanese warships from entering the Yangtze River. Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa of the Japanese 3rd Fleet ordered aerial bombings of

7755-534: The battle for Shanghai. These Guangxi units, four divisions in total, then staged a final counteroffensive in an attempt to fully consolidate Chinese positions around Dachang and retake the banks of the Wusong Creek. However, the counteroffensive was poorly coordinated with little reconnaissance , and quickly bogged down despite some initial success. The Japanese would counterattack with artillery, tanks and poison gas on October 23, with Japanese aircraft wreaking havoc on Chinese divisions throughout daytime. The operation

7896-518: The battle, with Japanese forces confirmed to have illegally deployed poison gas at least thirteen times. Historian Peter Harmsen stated that the battle "presaged urban combat as it was to be waged not just during the Second World War, but throughout the remainder of the twentieth century" and that it "signalled the totality of modern urban warfare". It has also been called "one of the most incredible defensive battles ever waged on this planet". It

8037-424: The ceasefire terms. Japan demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai, while the Chinese representative Yu Hung-chun dismissed the Japanese demand, stating that the terms of ceasefire have already been violated by Japan. The major powers did not wish to see another January 28 Incident , which greatly disrupted foreign economic activities in Shanghai. On the other hand, Chinese citizens feverishly welcomed

8178-661: The city and heavy destruction to the city. It was the first of the twenty-two major engagements fought between the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Republic of China (ROC) and the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) of the Empire of Japan at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War . The Japanese eventually prevailed after over three months of extensive fighting on land, in the air and at sea. Both sides accused each other of using chemical weapons during

8319-434: The city and the surrounding regions. The last stage, ranging from October 27 to the end of November 1937, involved the retreat of the Chinese army in the face of Japanese flanking maneuvers, and the ensuing combat on the road to China's capital at the time, Nanjing . In addition to the urban combat, trench warfare was also fought in the outskirts of the city. On 9 August, Naval Sub-Lieutenant Isao Ōyama ( 大山勇夫 ) , head of

8460-414: The city center. The few troops who did manage to keep up with the tanks through the city blocks were then trapped by Japanese blockades and annihilated by flamethrowers and intense machine gun fire. While the Chinese almost succeeded in pushing the Japanese down the Huangpu River, the casualty rate was exceedingly high. During the night of August 22 alone, the 36th Division lost more than ninety officers and

8601-625: The coastal regions to counter the landings. Thus, the front line was lengthened from metropolitan Shanghai along the Huangpu River to the northeast coastal districts. The Chinese offensive in the urban center had ground to a halt, and the fighting in downtown Shanghai essentially became a stalemate with both sides suffering heavy losses and making minimal changes in the front line. The Chinese divisions were able to hold on to Zhabei, Jiangwan, and other downtown positions for three months, until situations in other areas made it strategically impossible to continue defending them. The frontline fighter aircraft of

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8742-495: The command of General Iwane Matsui . On August 19, Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe announced that the Sino-Japanese conflict could only be resolved through war, regardless of any attempts at negotiation by third party nations. Konoe said that the initial plan of localized "containment" around the Shanghai region had now escalated to total war, with the ultimate goal of forcing the Chinese government to fully cooperate with

8883-466: The commander of the third war zone which covers the entirety of Shanghai. Regardless, the Chinese offensives against the Japanese garrison failed despite outnumbering the Japanese troops, due to the lack of heavy weaponry and artillery support. As the Chinese forces began to withdraw from the Shanghai area, more Japanese troops began to land near Shanghai, inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese side. The fighting spread across from Shanghai metropolis all

9024-537: The creek. At one point, girl guide Yang Huimin smuggled a Chinese Nationalist flag into the warehouse, which the defenders then raised as a symbol of defiance. Eventually, Chiang ordered the battalion to retreat into the nearby International Settlement, where they were interned by British authorities. Most of the 1st battalion survived intact: 34 Chinese defenders had been killed in action. The attacking Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces suffered one fatal casualty around Sihang Warehouse among some forty wounded during

9165-487: The customers leaving the club, acting as a disassembly line. This sequence is later followed by another fast-motion sequence of injured bodies being treated perfunctorily at Doctor Zhu's clinic at the end of the film, acting as an assembly line. Overall, the fast-forwarded, upbeat scenes make for a creative and humorous effect. This film also makes use of a type of superimposition called matte shots to convey Carpenter Zheng's daydreams of both Miss and Doctor Zhu. This effect

9306-523: The different characters 蚀川 . His father Zhang Heju (张和巨) was a small merchant dealing with silkworms . His father died when Zhang was 16 years old, and he had to quit school and move to Shanghai to live with his maternal uncle Jing Runsan (经润三), a successful comprador . In Shanghai, he worked at the American-owned Huayang Company by day and studied English at night. In 1913, Yashell and Suffert, two Americans in Shanghai who had acquired

9447-666: The economic and political demands of Japan. On August 23, the Japanese began the bombing campaign over Nanjing, and various cities in Central China. The Shanghai Expeditionary Army also arrived on the same day. At the beginning of the battle, Zhang Zhizhong, as the commander of the 5th Army and the Nanjing-Shanghai war zone, was responsible for conducting Chinese operations. The failure of the initial Chinese offensive greatly dismayed Chiang Kai-shek and his staff. Chiang criticized Zhang's failure to make sufficient preparations, especially

9588-404: The encircling strategy. On August 18 the Chinese attack was called off. On August 18, Chen Cheng reached the front lines to discuss the situation with Zhang Zhizhong. They decided to send the newly arrived 36th Division into the fray, attacking the Hueishan (匯山) docks on the northern side of the Huangpu River. Meanwhile, the 87th Division broke through Japanese lines at Yangshupu, and pushed onto

9729-407: The end of the film is another borrowed motif from American cinema, specifically Buster Keaton's The Haunted House (1921) . In a later scene, Carpenter Zheng is seen overjoyed, then bitter, as a matte shot appearing in the upper-left corner of the frame reveals his daydreams of Miss Zhu and Doctor Zhu. Double- and/or multiple-exposure photography was a popular novelty in 20th-century China, which

9870-782: The end, Shanghai fell, and China lost a significant portion of its best troops, the elite Chinese forces trained and equipped by the Germans , while failing to elicit any international intervention. However, the resistance of Chinese forces over three months of battle shocked the Japanese, who had been indoctrinated with notions of cultural and martial superiority, and largely demoralized the Imperial Japanese Army, who believed they could take Shanghai within days and China within months. The battle can be divided into three stages, and eventually involved around one million troops. The first stage lasted from August 13 to August 22, 1937, during which

10011-410: The enemy when the Japanese land offensive started after naval and artillery strikes had ceased. Despite their numerical superiority, the defense of Luodian would prove impossible for the Chinese. The Japanese superiority of firepower forced the Chinese into a passive position, from which they could not mount counter-attacks until the Japanese were practically on top of them. Because of this, the decision

10152-404: The exact location of remaining Chinese positions for artillery and naval strikes. Japanese infantry would then advance under smoke screens , with armored support. Japanese planes would also accompany the infantry and strafe Chinese reinforcements. The battle for Luodian was marked by bloody street fighting, with the close combat making the Chinese the equals of the Japanese. Chinese defense

10293-405: The film director, Zhang Shichuan later had similar argument over the choice of film theme with the writer, Zheng Zhengqiu . Zheng suggested on his artistic idea to "improve and educate society," while Zhang replied that "[w]hat matters are audiences' interests and to win their laugh" and that "there is no place for doctrine yet." The film was included in the list of China's 100 Film Classics of

10434-402: The film through fast play. This effect is achieved through hand-cranking the film at a slower rate while filming, thus when cranking at the regular rate when screening, would create sped-up imagery. In the film, these fast-forward scenes turn trick cinematography into a motif of its own. For instance, a fast-motion sequence is featured when Carpenter Zheng utilizes his trick staircase to injure

10575-400: The film was considered as unsuccessful and unprofitable during its theatrical run, some criticized the film to be "full of poor taste," and "made from the purpose of appealing to the petty bourgeois." However, it was also pointed out that the degree of attention paid to the fact of the film's preservation has caused most scholarship to ignore what the film was intended to be: a comedy. In fact,

10716-470: The film's director fulfill their desire of pleasing an audience as well as enjoying their trade. Overall, it is evident that early Chinese cinema not only often takes inspiration from American cinema but already had a high standard of creativity. As a film itself, Laborer's Love creates a new form of love between male and female, which differs from traditional Chinese expectations of love. However, while straying away from notions of arranged love and allowing

10857-423: The forces at Jiangyin with carrier and ground-based aircraft, which led to the sinking of ten Chinese ships by 23 October. However, despite these losses, the Chinese navy recovered some of the naval guns from the sunken ships and deployed them on land as coastal batteries, thus maintaining a defensive position at Jiangyin. In early November, Jiangyin was eventually captured as Chinese forces retreated. On August 23,

10998-562: The frontline. House to house fighting was common, and in the most intense moments these positions would change hands up to five times a day. In this brutal combat, Chinese soldiers regularly fought to the death even when surrounded, a byproduct of the Japanese Army's habit of taking no prisoners . In overrun positions, Japanese soldiers frequently found dead Chinese soldiers, some with childlike features , clutching weapons as though "their ghosts had returned to continue resistance." In one case,

11139-540: The full advance from Japan. Shanghai was China's largest and most cosmopolitan city, with it being the world's fifth largest city at the time. Shanghai was known as the "Pearl of the Orient" and "Paris of the East", with it being China's main commercial hub and largest port. Dogged Chinese resistance at Shanghai was aimed at stalling the Japanese advance, giving much needed time for the Chinese government to move vital industries to

11280-499: The generation, and weakened the comedy of Doctor Zhu treating the liar the same way as the liar did the Doctor. The word "康熙" could be translated into "Kangxi," but if translated into "Chien Loong's grandfather," would be more able to show the contrast between the generations. Western audiences, even if they don't know Chien Loong and Kangxi, would still understand the meaning of comparing these two emperors. Thereby, Western audiences can reach

11421-426: The girl is at an age where she is "ripe" or mature enough to marry and bear children. In the film, Miss Zhu, who is the love interest, is at an age where she is ready for marriage, this is implied when the watermelon is broken in two or split by Carpenter Zheng. The significance of the splitting of the watermelon alludes to Carpenter Zheng's sexual desire for Miss Zhu. The function of Carpenter Zheng's staircase outside

11562-470: The government announced August 14 would be Air Force Day to raise the morale of the Chinese populace.) From August 15 to 18, the Chinese fought the numerically superior Japanese air force in intense air battles that saw two Japanese squadrons destroyed. China was fighting the air war with every airplane in its possession, some of them purchased second-hand from various countries. It was not able to produce any planes of its own to replace those lost in combat and

11703-456: The incident, the Japanese began sending in reinforcements to Shanghai. Facing the increasing Japanese military presence in Shanghai, Chinese troops were also being deployed to the Shanghai area beginning on 11 August. On 12 August, representatives from the United Kingdom, France, United States and Italy along with Japan and China participated in the joint conference held in Shanghai to discuss

11844-476: The initial inventory of American-made aircraft were gradually lost through attrition. In the Shanghai campaign, the ROCAF is said to have shot down 85 Japanese airplanes and sunk 51 ships, while losing 91 of its own airplanes, just under half of its entire air force at the time. On August 15, the Japanese formed the Shanghai Expeditionary Army (SEF), composed of the 3rd and 11th Divisions , under

11985-462: The interior, while at the same time attempting to bring sympathetic Western powers to China's side. During the fierce three-month battle, the forces of China and Japan fought in downtown Shanghai, in the outlying towns, and on the beaches of the Yangtze River and Hangzhou Bay , where the Japanese had made amphibious landings. Chinese forces were equipped primarily with small-caliber weapons against much greater Japanese air, naval, and armor power. In

12126-456: The meaning of giving gifts. Although the translation here does not reach lexical and syntactic equivalence, it achieves the telling of the story. The two meanings contained in "孝敬" itself are vividly displayed. The Western audience can get the same aesthetic experience as the Chinese audience when watching the film. Due to the large cultural differences between the Western and Eastern (mostly China),

12267-410: The meaning of throwing fruit until one watched the film. "Romance of a Fruit Peddler" or《掷果缘》is not the wrong name, but Carpenter Zheng who is turning to the fruit business, falls in love with the daughter of Doctor Zhu. Carpenter Zheng uses a string that connects with a basket to throw the fruit to Miss Zhu to express his love. Laborer's Love is considered the earliest complete, Chinese-made film but

12408-417: The medical clinic prospering once again, Doctor Zhu gladly approves the marriage between Miss Zhu and Zheng. As the earliest surviving film from the last century in China, "Romance of a Fruit Peddler" also known as "Laborer's Love," although a silent film, would still be interesting to watch today. In Chinese, "Romance of a Fruit Peddler" means gaining a relationship by throwing fruits. One would not understand

12549-418: The medical clinic via a string, along which they transport baskets filled with objects back and forth to each other, which is also known as the fruit-throwing connection ( Chinese : 掷果缘 ; pinyin : zhì guǒ yuán ). Later, Miss Zhu visits Zheng's fruit stand and he helps her to get rid of a few local ruffians who have been harassing her. Eventually, Miss Zhu and Zheng fall in love, but Doctor Zhu opposes

12690-410: The most famous comedians in the silent film field. For instance, Doctor Zhu wears glasses in a similar style to the ones characteristically worn by Harold Lloyd. One scene has Carpenter Zheng come into possession of the glasses and try them on in a shot that imitates the iconic image of this popular actor. This results in a blurry point-of-view shot that emphasizes the difference in perspective between

12831-408: The night of October 26, the Chinese began withdrawing from Shanghai's urban center. Because Dachang and other vital suburban towns had been lost already, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the Chinese troops to retreat from Zhabei, Jiangwan (江灣), and other positions that the troops had held for seventy-five days without faltering. However, Chiang ordered one battalion of the 88th Division remain in Zhabei to defend

12972-478: The nightclub raises debate regarding moral principles. The carpenter's actions are considered immoral due to the injurious consequences that occur to innocent people for his benefit. However, as an element of comedy, it is normal to see these actions toward those who are considered as bad in society as a form of "moral justification." The thick pair of glasses worn by the Doctor is a status symbol of his professional respectability and paternal authority, in addition to

13113-510: The number of scenes and space, it is not merely a form of imitating stage play. In fact, the film plays on conventions of both cinema of attraction(s) as well as narrative cinema . Cinema of attraction(s), coined by Tom Gunning, involves the use of display—gags, props, special effects—to grab the attention of the audience. Narrative cinema allows for the audience to be drawn into the diegesis or fictional story world as it unfolds. In an early scene, Carpenter Zheng and Miss Zhu communicate through

13254-444: The only heavy weapons the Chinese possessed. Chinese troops could only advance, under the cover of machine gun fire, by getting close enough to the emplacements to kill those within with hand grenades . The Chinese advance was greatly slowed and the element of surprise was lost. Lacking the heavy weapons to destroy the Japanese bunkers directly, Zhang Zhizhong decided to encircle them instead. On August 16, he ordered his men to take

13395-464: The other is to give a gift. The English interpretation of the word would be to "give a present; use as a token of respect for one’s elders or superior." Evidently, the translator cannot find a word in English that can contain these two meanings. Therefore, in the English translation, the translator uses "respected" and "humble" to show a status of humility and uses "not asking you to buy" and "gift" to reflect

13536-399: The presence of Chinese troops in the city. In Nanjing, Chinese and Japanese representatives met for the last time for final efforts at negotiation. The Japanese demanded that the Chinese withdraw all Peace Preservation Corps from Shanghai and all regular troops from the vicinities of the city. The Chinese insisted that the Japanese demand of a unilateral Chinese withdrawal was unacceptable since

13677-539: The procurement of weapons capable of penetrating Japanese bunkers, before sending the troops in massive waves, which resulted in unsustainable casualties in many divisions right from the start. Zhang was also criticized for his overconfidence and his penchant for holding press conferences for both foreign and Chinese reporters in the cosmopolitan city. Chiang Kai-shek and his staff, the most prominent including Chen Cheng and Gu Zhutong , began taking over command duties from Zhang. Chiang Kai-shek himself would eventually become

13818-441: The public. For its entire existence of 17 years, Zhang served as the company's general manager and director. Under his leadership, it became China's largest film production company. In cooperation with Hong Shen , Zhang directed Sing-Song Girl Red Peony in 1931, the first Chinese sound film (though it was sound-on-disc , not sound-on-film ). In the early 1930s, Japan's invasion of Manchuria and attack of Shanghai produced

13959-401: The relationship because of Zheng's lower socioeconomic status. However, in the face of his financial hardships, Doctor Zhu agrees to let Zheng marry his daughter if the younger man can help revive his failing medical business. Zheng is dismayed, believing this to be an impossible task, but soon he comes up with the idea to modify the staircase of a gambling club near the doctor's office. He alters

14100-457: The remaining troops of the 98th Division to defend the walled town. One battalion, under lieutenant colonel Yao Ziqing (姚子青), was assigned to the task. The situation in Baoshan was grim, as the Japanese had surrounded the town by September 5. However, Yao ordered his men to defend to the death, pledging to die at his post. Several Japanese assaults on September 4 were repulsed with heavy casualties, but

14241-459: The same extent to which Chinese audiences understood and appreciated the film. The film's use of various special effects in the film adds both narrative and comedic effects to the film. Such special effects include superimposition , undercranking , out-of-focus shots. Particularly, undercranking, often used in slapstick comedy , is used in Laborer's Love to create gags by enhancing the rhythm of

14382-406: The same method of the liar to send him away—pointing out that he has more valuable antiquity (Kangxi's 康熙 pen container) than the liar. But unfortunately, in the English subtitles, this is not reflected. Instead, the translator translated the "乾隆窑" into “Chien Loong," which is still accurate. However, the translation of "康熙窑" into "antique" has weakened the contrast that Chinese characters have between

14523-482: The sandy soil of the coastal region meant that it was difficult to construct sturdy fortifications. Many trenches would collapse due to rain. The Chinese raced against time to construct and repair these defense works despite constant Japanese bombardment. Logistics difficulty also meant it was hard to transport the necessary construction materials to the front line. The Chinese often had to turn to bombed-out houses to obtain bricks, beams, and other such materials. However,

14664-719: The short film further showcased Western influence in Chinese filmmaking, such as taking inspiration from American silent film comedians Charlie Chaplin , Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd . A subtitled version of the film , which represents differences between the Chinese and English text of the intertitles, is available on YouTube. As the film begins, a man named Carpenter Zheng from the Guangdong Province has just come back to Shanghai after living in Nanyang in Southeast Asia. Upon his return, he decides to change professions, becoming

14805-447: The staircase so that he can transform it into a sliding ramp at will; after this, he merely has to wait for unsuspecting customers to leave the club and promptly slide to the bottom of the staircase, injuring themselves at the bottom. He repeats this numerous times, creating a huge new client base for Doctor Zhu to the point where the old man can barely keep up with the demand, requiring Zheng to step in and provide his services as well. With

14946-522: The staircase to a nightclub into a slide that he can activate at will. Evidently, Mingxing Film Company had its roots in part in the United States, and its English title suggests that Chinese films also exist in the culture of English-speaking audiences. In early 20th-century Shanghai, Western influence became more prevalent, and this film represents the mixing of culture as Western and Eastern skills and technologies collided. This film shows how China

15087-468: The streets surrounding the Japanese strongholds. Every time a street was successfully cleared, the Chinese would set up a sandbag blockade, gradually surrounding each stronghold and closing off all possible routes of escape. The tactic was successful at first and the Chinese were able to destroy many emplacements and outposts in a single day. However, the Japanese then deployed tanks in the broad streets, enabling them to easily repel Chinese attacks and defeat

15228-457: The subtitles to explain the storyline: 粤人郑木匠，改业水果，与祝医女结掷果缘，乃求婚于祝医，祝云：能使我医业兴隆者，当以女妻之，木匠果设妙计，得如祝愿，有情人遂成了眷属。(A doctor in needy circumstances, whose daughter is much admired by a fruit shop proprietor [formerly a carpenter] who sticks to the tools of his trade). However, Chinese culture is profound and some vocabulary has multiple meanings. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to find a corresponding vocabulary for translation in English. Therefore,

15369-436: The takeover of Zhabei. Colonel Xie initially told newspaper Zhongyang Ribao that his men had killed an excess of 100 Japanese troops before retreating. Historian Stephen Robinson has claimed the Japanese lost some 200 men in their effort to take the warehouse. Chiang wanted the Chinese military presence to remain in Shanghai as long as possible to have a positive reflection on the ongoing Nine-Power Treaty Conference that

15510-544: The tensions between the Chinese and Japanese forces in Shanghai. On 10 August, the Japanese Consul General demanded that the Chinese withdraw the Peace Preservation Corps and dismantle their defense works around the city. He also made it clear that the Imperial Japanese Army regarded the shooting of a Japanese officer as humiliating, and that any further incident would escalate the situation. In response to

15651-505: The town must be held at all costs, as it was "the most crucial strategic point." The Japanese had also recognized Luodian's importance, and had sent troops to attack the town on August 23. Two large assaults were repelled by the Chinese 11th Division, who overcame Japanese advantages in armor and artillery by harassing Japanese columns with small scale ambushes and engaging in close-quarters street fighting within Luodian. To defend Luodian,

15792-527: The town of Liuhang (劉行), south of Luodian. Thus, the frontline moved further south onto the banks of the Wusong River. The Japanese aim was to cross the Creek and take the walled town of Dachang (大場), which was the communications link between Chinese troops in downtown Shanghai and the northwest outlying towns. If Dachang fell, Chinese troops would have to forfeit their positions in downtown Shanghai and regions east of

15933-471: The traditional mode of civilized drama. To begin, the Chinese film industry did not start by filming itself, but by the screening of foreign films. Hence, Chinese filmmakers were inevitably influenced by foreign films. Importantly, Laborer's Love was intended for the international market—the film is not only a national film but also an international film, as it targeted both the Southeast Asian market and

16074-405: The traditional thought process regarding marriage practices at the time. In light of the social changes, filmmakers sought to navigate the boundary between traditional and moral values through the concept of arranged marriage, while also advocating the modern ideas about free, inconsequential love. One of the alternative titles of the film, zhì guǒ yuán , meaning "fruit-throwing love connection,"

16215-428: The translator of Laborer's Love used the method of "demolition" in the face of such differing vocabulary. For instance, the Chinese subtitles were "老伯伯！这是我孝敬你的" which in English translates to "Respected sir, I am not asking you to buy, please accept a humble gift." The point of transmission and the difficulty of translation is the word "孝敬". The word "孝敬" has two meanings here. One is to show the relationship of honor and

16356-406: The trickery, the young laborer becomes accepted by the father when he helps in the clinic, which consequently alters his social identity: from a laborer to a doctor, thus making him suitable for marriage. By making their marriage possible, they directly undermine Miss Zhu’s father's authority, which speaks to modernism, patriarchy, gender, and socio-economic differences. The marriage of a tradesman and

16497-546: The two characters to decide their romantic fate, the film revisits the Chinese traditions through Carpenter Zheng asking the permission of Doctor Zhu to court Miss Zhu. Laborer's Love premiered at as part of a double feature with The King of Comedy Visits Shanghai at the Olympic Theatre on 5 October 1922. Initially scheduled for a two-day run, with three showings per day, the screening was extended to four days, suggesting some popularity with audiences. Laborer's Love

16638-415: The two characters, with Carpenter Zheng representing modern social views and Doctor Zhu representing traditional ones. The film's romantic narrative provides further commentary on how traditional Chinese values were changing in the shift to the modern era, from its depiction of increasing social mobility to the negotiation of marriage and family through feudal and patriarchal codes. Another Lloyd-style motif

16779-503: The two countries were already fighting a war in North China. At last Mayor Yu made it clear that at most the Chinese government would concede that the Chinese troops would not fire unless fired upon. Japan on the other hand placed all responsibility on China because of Chinese deployment of troops around Shanghai. Negotiation was impossible and there was no alternative other than the spread of war into Central China. Around 9 am on August 13,

16920-417: The village of Tangbeizhai was defended against a Japanese column by a single Chinese soldier, as the rest of his battalion had already been destroyed. From September 11 to October 20, the Japanese army was able to advance only five kilometers. It was in this fighting where the Japanese suffered their heaviest losses of the entire campaign, estimated at 25,000 casualties with some 8,000 killed in action over

17061-595: The way to the township of Liuhe, near the coast where the majority of the Japanese landings occurred. A manoeuvre Japan had also performed in the 1932 battle and therefore should have been expected. The perceived strength of the Chinese response resulted in major reinforcement for Japanese units. The 9th , 13th , and 101st Divisions , the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade, and a brigade-strength mixture of smaller units were ordered from Japan to Shanghai by Imperial General Headquarters on 11 September 1937. On 16 August, one-hundred kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Shanghai,

17202-426: Was a box-office success. When Zhang Shichuan's The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (1928) became a phenomenal hit, he produced as many as 17 sequels in the next three years. The film marked the beginning of the hugely popular martial arts film genre, and many competing studios rushed to make similar films. In 1928, Mingxing became a limited shareholding company, and registered with the government to sell stocks to

17343-405: Was a major battle fought between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China in the Chinese city of Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War . It lasted from August 13, 1937, to November 26, 1937, and was arguably the single largest and longest battle of the entire war, with it even regarded by some historians as the first battle of World War II . It resulted in the Japanese capture of

17484-412: Was also one of the earliest productions of the soon-to-be prolific Mingxing Film Company and was directed and written by Mingxing co-founders Zhang Shichuan and Zheng Zhengqiu . Notably, the film has both Chinese and English intertitles, indicating that at this early point in Shanghai cinema history, films were tailored to both Chinese and Western audiences. In addition to the English intertitle cards,

17625-487: Was always running low on replacement parts and supplies. Japan, in contrast, had a robust aviation industry able to design and manufacture technologically advanced planes and could easily make good their losses. Thus, it was impossible for China to sustain an air war with Japan, however, the Chinese Air Force were given a much-needed lifeline with many new replacement fighter aircraft under the new Sino-Soviet Treaty as

17766-518: Was becoming more open to foreign technologies that are displayed on-screen, such as the alarm clock, table lamp, Western-style furniture and the appearance of the night club. Laborer's Love came into being during the transition period from short films to long films. According to statistical information, there were nearly 30 short films made in China from 1918 to 1928. The subjects of these short films were primarily marketable slapstick dramas with exaggerated actions and simple plots, while still retaining

17907-402: Was cut off after the outbreak of World War I. When his uncle died, Zhang was asked by his aunt to manage the family's New World amusement park. In 1916, Zhang formed Huanxian (Fantasy) Film Company, when American film stock became available in Shanghai, and made the film Victims of Opium , adapted from a stage play. But the company soon folded, and he returned to manage the amusement park, which

18048-458: Was death." Zhang Zhizhong's initial plan was to have the numerically superior Chinese forces attack the Japanese by surprise and push them into the Huangpu River, then blockade the coast to deny the Japanese the opportunity to land reinforcements at the Huangpu wharves between Yangshupu and Hongkou . The 88th Division was to attack Japanese army headquarters near Zhabei , and the 87th Division

18189-683: Was destroyed by Japanese bombing in the battle. Zhang salvaged some equipment and joined the Guohua Film Company, but was never able to revive Mingxing. With the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, the Japanese took over the Shanghai International Settlement , which had been under British and American control, and combined Shanghai's remaining film studios into the Zhonglian (China United) Film Production Company. Zhang worked for

18330-416: Was hailed for its breakthrough from the theatrical model of filmmaking, particularly in terms of cinematography, as the film uses techniques like panoramic photography , close-up , cross-cutting , superimposition , downscale photography and subjective shots . This film, along with quite a number of other Mingxing films, have been treated as "classics" and analyzed textually and artistically. However, as

18471-466: Was halted, and had cost the Guangxi divisions over 2,000 casualties including dozens of officers. Following the failed counteroffensive, Matsui ordered his divisions to push to Zoumatang Creek. The Chinese, having been exhausted by the combat through October, had begun withdrawing their troops to a defensive line behind Suzhou Creek . The Japanese, aided by their tanks and aircraft, seized two bridges across

18612-421: Was however unarmed at the time of the shooting, having left his sidearm at the headquarters. Historian Peter Harmsen purported the so-called shootout to in fact be a staged scene to coverup the murder of the two Japanese naval personnel by Chinese soldiers masquerading as Peace Preservation Corps. It is still unknown whether Ōyama attempted to enter the military airport under higher orders. The incident heightened

18753-515: Was in session in Brussels , with the hopes for possible intervention from Western powers. The rest of the Chinese troops crossed the Suzhou Creek and regrouped to engage the Japanese troops. Chiang's original plan was to fight in areas south of the Suzhou Creek and inflict as many Japanese casualties as possible. However, through three months of intense fighting, Chinese troop strength had been greatly reduced. Most units had their strength halved, and as

18894-452: Was known as "split-self photography" (Chinese: 分身像; pinyin: fēnshēn xiàng ) or "two-me's photo" (Chinese: 二我图; pinyin: èrwǒ tú ). Furthermore, Zheng's skill and enjoyment in carpentry mirrors Director Zhang Shichuan's skill and enjoyment in the making of this film. Many events of the film combine tricks of Zheng's carpentry and Director Zhang's special effects, such as the trick staircase combined with undercranking. Both Carpenter Zheng and

19035-453: Was made to defend the entire town to the death, a tactic which greatly accelerated the attrition rate within the Chinese ranks. The casualty rate of General Chen Cheng's army group was more than fifty percent. By the end of September, the Chinese had been almost bled dry and were forced to give up Luodian. By October 1, the Japanese had increased troop strength in the Shanghai region to more than two hundred thousand. Japanese troops also invaded

19176-399: Was not unheard of for the Chinese to lose an entire garrison to such bombardments . However, the Chinese would reinforce almost immediately to counter the Japanese troops who had just made their landing after the bombardment. In the two weeks that followed, the Chinese and Japanese troops fought bitter battles in the numerous towns and villages along the coast. The Chinese troops fending off

19317-694: Was sold in 1920. In 1922, Zhang and his old partner Zheng Zhengqiu, together with Zhou Jianyun (周剑云), Zheng Zhegu (郑鹧鸪), and Ren Jinping (任矜萍), founded the Mingxing (Star) Film Company. As a Western-influenced businessman, Zhang's main priority was profit, which differed from that of Zheng Zhengqiu, a playwright from an aristocratic family who emphasized cinema's role in social reform and moral enlightenment. The company's earliest films, such as The King of Comedy Visits Shanghai (1922), were mainly entertainment-oriented, but Zhang also directed Zheng's moralistic films such as Orphan Rescues Grandfather (1923), which

19458-448: Was stubborn even in the face of overwhelming firepower. During the night, Chinese soldiers mined the roads connecting the coastal towns to Luodian and engaged in night combat to cut off Japanese advance troops. At daybreak, the Chinese would garrison the foremost defensive lines with comparatively few troops in order to reduce casualties resulting from intense Japanese bombardments. The Chinese would then emerge from rear positions to engage

19599-499: Was the largest and most influential film studio in China. Many highly influential directors and writers, including Hong Shen , Cheng Bugao , Xia Yan , Ouyang Yuqian , Shen Xiling , Cai Chusheng , and Yang Hansheng , began or developed their careers at Mingxing. Laborer%27s Love Laborer's Love ( Chinese : 劳工之爱情 ; pinyin : láogōng zhī àiqíng ) is a classic silent comedy short film produced in China during

19740-582: Was the single largest urban battle prior to the Battle of Stalingrad , which occurred almost 5 years later. Since the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 followed by the Japanese attack of Shanghai in 1932, there had been ongoing armed conflicts between China and Japan without an official declaration of war. These conflicts finally escalated in July 1937, when the Marco Polo Bridge Incident triggered

19881-426: Was to attack the reinforced Kung-ta Textile Mill, where the Japanese naval command was located. Zhang estimated it would take one week to achieve these objectives; however, the operation ran into trouble when his troops were fought to a standstill just outside the Shanghai International Settlement . Japanese strongholds were fortified with thick concrete, barbed wire, machine guns and were resistant to 150mm howitzers ,

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