Answer questions about "To Live"

1. Why do you think that the name of the movie is To Live?
Because it represents the life of one family which is deeply related to the time period of China and it shows us vicissitudes of the life.
2. How does the main character, Fugui, represent life in China during this time period?
Through the events Fugui has undergone. For example, he was a ruined landlord and captured by the nationalists party and also the communist party.
3. How specifically does Fugui’s wife, Jiaz, adapt to the changing time?
When her husband, Fugui was captured, she had to take care of the family alone. It might be difficult for her, but she tried to work hard not giving her life up.
4. In what ways did the loss of his house and fortune, ironically, become the best thing that ever happened to Fugui and his family?
If Fugui’s family kept living in that house, his family would be accused of being a landlord during the revolutionary period.
5. What do you think of Mr. Niu and what do you suppose happened to him hear the end?
I think Mr. Liu not only performed well as a town leader but also helped Fugui in many ways. However, it is likely to happen that he would be accused of counter-revolutionary activities.
6. How do the two children become victims of the political climate? Give specific examples.
Fugui’s son, Youqing was killed by the communist party, Chunsheng. Moreover, His daughter, Fengxia died from excessive bleeding because there were no doctors in the hospital. All doctors and experienced staffs were arrested. Even though Erxi brought a doctor from the prison, he was useless since he was sick after eating seven buns. Therefore, both of Fugui’s children were died by the fault which caused by Communism.
7. The Communist Revolution is widely seen to have been successful in raising living conditions for millions of Chinese peasants. Give some positive examples from the movie of improvements in living conditions and good results from the change in political system.
Through the public provision of meals, people could be fed equally and this provision could be a good method to get rid of hunger for poor people.
8. What is the final positive outcome for this one family? Expalin.
Even though some people who they loved were passed away, the remaining members: Fugui, Jiazhen, Whan Erxi and Fugui’s grandson would continue to live together taking good care of one another.
9. To Live was banned in China, and the director, Zhang Yimou, and the leading actress, Gong Li, were barred from filmmaking for two years. What specifically do you think that the Chinese government objected to? Give at least two or three examples.
In the movie, it was shown that Fugui was drafted by communists during the civil war between the communists and the capitalists. Furthermore, people could watch that some people are accused of being capitalists and landlords. These were the only reason that some people are accused. Therefore, those two happenings are unreasonable and show us that communists have trampled upon human right. If this fact were exposed by the movie, it would be unavoidable for Chinese government to become the focus of criticism. So, In my opinion, Chinese government was afraid of to be blamed by other countries.
10. Write your won movie review for this film.
This is a really impressive movie that I have never watched before. Especially, this movie contains diverse events during the revolutionary period so it reflects Chinese social systems and ideologies. Therefore, it helps us to understand that period of China. Furthermore, the actor, Ge You and the actress, Gong Li acted very well so that they could be rewarded in Cannes Film festival.
The last scene stays in my mind for a long time. The remaining three family members eat food happily and I felt that the calm impression spreads over my mind. They survived from hard and bitter times and have learned “to live.”