The detailed description of "Robes removed, bodies searched, roots of hair inspected" in "Disrobing and Search" also corresponds to the texture and tension of the film's close-up shots. Zhang Yimou excels at conveying rich information through details: an inspected garment, a strand of parted hair, even an exchange of glances, can carry deep dramatic tension. Together, these two poems demonstrate the aesthetic unity of Zhang Yimou's filmmaking from macro spectacle to micro detail, also revealing that his wuxia world is composed not only of grand ideas but also of specific bodily experiences.
4.2 Reconstruction of the Concept of the Hero
The most thought-provoking aspect of Hero is its reconstruction and questioning of the traditional concept of the "hero." Whether it is Nameless giving up the assassination in "A Bow to the Court" or the warrior enduring in "Disrobing and Search," they are no longer simple avengers or rebels in the traditional wuxia film sense. Zhang Yimou presents us with a more complex concept of heroism – the hero is not one who only settles scores freely, but an individual capable of making difficult choices at critical historical junctures.
In the film, this concept of heroism is fully displayed through the transformations of Broken Sword and Nameless. Broken Sword, through three years of calligraphy practice, comprehends the way of "All Under Heaven" and thus abandons the assassination; Nameless, at the last moment, understands Broken Sword's realm and similarly chooses to lay down his weapon. This setup sparked considerable controversy at the time, with some viewing it as "the advocacy and restoration of servility." However, this is precisely Zhang Yimou's attempt to transcend the traditional wuxia model – he allows the assassins to no longer be loyal only to personal vendettas or local justice but to be able to think from a higher historical dimension.
The line "Where distant sky and horizon meet, a new beginning's light" at the end of "A Bow to the Court" precisely captures this transcendent perspective. What Nameless sees is not the King of Qin before him, but the future scenario that may result from the choice to assassinate or not – endless warfare or the unification of 'All Under Heaven'. This choice, which places "All Under Heaven" above personal vendetta, redefines what a true hero is.
4.3 The Dialectic of History and the Individual
Zhang Yimou also explores in Hero the tension between historical progress and individual cost. Qin Shi Huang indeed promoted unification in Chinese history, laying the foundation for the Chinese empire, but this process was also accompanied by violence and oppression. The film does not simply praise or condemn Qin Shi Huang but presents the complexity of this historical judgment through the ideological转变 of the assassins.
The "myriad ministers bow" in "A Bow to the Court" shows the process of the centralization of historical power, while "the warrior alone" represents the autonomous choice of the individual within the historical tide. The disciplinary ritual in "Disrobing and Search" can also be seen as the absorption and control of the individual by historical power. Together, the two poems outline a multidimensional picture of the interaction between history and the individual – the individual is shaped by historical circumstances but also participates in shaping history through their own choices.
At the film's climax, Nameless ultimately does not kill the King of Qin, but with his death, he warns the King: the character for "sword" has a nineteenth way of being written, meaning there will always be those who challenge tyranny. This arrangement reflects Zhang Yimou's dialectical understanding of history: historical progress requires cost, but power must also be warned and restrained.
5 Cultural Significance and Controversy of Hero
Since its release, Zhang Yimou's Hero has sparked extensive and in-depth discussion within Chinese cultural circles, its influence far exceeding that of an ordinary blockbuster. Through the perspectives provided by these two poems, we can more clearly grasp the film's cultural coordinates and the intellectual debates it provoked.
5.1 Contemporary Reconstruction of Historical Narrative
By reconstructing the story of the assassination attempt, Hero participates in the reshaping of contemporary Chinese historical narrative. In traditional historical accounts, although Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, he更多 appears as a tyrant, while assassins like Jing Ke are portrayed as heroes resisting tyranny. Zhang Yimou boldly subverts this narrative, reinterpretating the King of Qin as a hero promoting historical progress, while the assassins voluntarily abandon their mission upon understanding this.
This reconstruction finds poetic expression in "Where distant sky and horizon meet, a new beginning's light" from "A Bow to the Court" – individual sacrifice makes possible the unification of the world. However, this position also drew criticism. Some critics sharply pointed out: "There is a deep servility in Zhang Yimou's films, which stems from the普遍 land complex of Chinese peasants. Possessing this complex makes Zhang Yimou unconsciously understand 'All Under Heaven' from the standpoint of the land and its master, making it difficult for him to express the chivalrous spirit that regards the whole world as home and despises imperial power."
It is worth noting that Zhang Yimou's historical reconstruction is not an isolated case. Taiwanese media commentary on Hero also noted the film's connection to contemporary China's rise, viewing Qin Shi Huang's unification as the "incarnation of Chinese unification." This indicates that Hero's historical narrative is not only about the past but also closely linked to contemporary China's self-perception and international positioning.
5.2 Innovation and Limitations of the Wuxia Genre
Hero's innovation in the wuxia genre is obvious. Zhang Baiqing marveled: "This film is completely different from Hong Kong and Taiwan-style wuxia films. It is a work with Zhang Yimou's own artistic characteristics, possessing not only extremely high观赏性 but also profound historical and ideological connotations. It is bound to become a new classic of wuxia films." The court rituals and bodily discipline captured in "A Bow to the Court" and "Disrobing and Search" are examples of this innovation – Zhang Yimou elevates the wuxia film from mere martial arts and revenge to philosophical contemplation of power, order, and individual choice.