Very moving reflection of the Chinese spirit

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 2004)

This visually stunning story illustrates key Chinese cultural concepts and behaviors. The twining of calligraphy, a literate art, and swordsmanship, a martial art, into a spiritual guiding principle within one's heart is a very basic tenet of Chinese accomplishments. The idea of revering high-level ideals above one's own personal goals and the willingness to sacrifice oneself is also very Chinese. The idea of deeply respecting one's enemy as an equal versus the political need to kill any potential opponents in order to establish unity is also a fundamental aspect of Chinese history and politics. As a matter of fact, Chinese people have a ubiquitous cultural tendency to compete constantly and to seek individual glory, frequently leading to dissension among the land. The sub-plot of Snow and Broken Sword's love story is also an interesting story, frequently illustrated in the Chinese psyche: how a woman can sometimes become caught up in one's own emotional perception without understanding her mate's vision and thus ultimately destroy each other... All scenes are breathtakingly haunting and gorgeous, whether the intimate indoor scenes, the outdoor scenes, the fight duels, the army maneuvers, or the face to face conversation with the Emperor Qin. I was moved to tears by the ending, the self-immolation of Nameless own free will... Martyrdom for the greater good is very much a part of the Chinese psyche. Thus, our Hero, he who is well-named.