Educational Media Reviews Online

This documentary investigates freedom and censorship in modern China. The introduction of capitalism to China has brought about profound changes to Chinese society. The economy, the rule of law, and the way the state and the Chinese Communist Party interact with the people have all been impacted. Modern China is in a period of transition. China Opens Up investigates how Chinese intellectuals are fairing in, and how they feel about, this transitional period. An artist, a journalist, an author, a composer, a film director, and a dramatist are featured. The author claims that to have a book banned by the government is a path to fame and riches. The journalist notes that she frequently comes under pressure to alter an article or to give up an investigation into corruption. An artist yearns for richer, more numerous voices in the Chinese art scene. Intellectuals have never been so free in modern China but they must still deal with a powerful and suspicious bureaucracy. Many are excited about the increasing freedoms of expression while others long for a pure form of communism. Censorship by the government may seem silly and ineffectual at times but it is a very serious matter in China.

Through interviews with a variety of intellectuals this documentary does a nice job of highlighting the interplay of censorship and freedom in China. It also raises some important questions. Has entrepreneurial spirit corrupted art? Are intellectuals losing touch with the working population? How do party bosses and business leaders feel about the role of censorship in China? Does the government have a clear understanding of what it is attempting to censor and what it would like Chinese society to become? As this film is rather short and lacking in background information it is best used as a discussion tool for audiences with some understanding of modern China. Recommended for college and other libraries that serve such an audience.