Family Saga Serial Dramas and Reinterpretation of Cultural Traditions

This chapter examines popular family saga dramas, analyzing their themes and cultural significance in the context of China's modernization drive. It identifies several major lines of conflict in these dramas—between individual desire and family interest, between modernity and tradition, and between family life and national political turmoil. In these conflicts, the pursuit of romance and maintenance of family social status are often polarized and intertwined in the story development. Such stories, situated in early twentieth-century China, actually address the concerns of contemporary viewers.

This chapter examines popular family saga dramas, analyzing their themes and cultural significance in the context of China's modernization drive. It identifies several major lines of conflict in these dramas—between individual desire and family interest, between modernity and tradition, and between family life and national political turmoil. In these conflicts, the pursuit of romance and maintenance of family social status are often polarized and intertwined in the story development. Such stories, situated in early twentieth-century China, actually address the concerns of contemporary viewers.