Complex sentence: She utilizes her knowledge of steam engines and motion pictures to help preserve Chinese traditions (often against foreign pressure), but when some of these traditions prove to be repressive, such as her romance with Wong, she openly and defiantly ignores them.
Split into simpler sentences: She utilizes her knowledge of steam engines, and motion pictures to help preserve Chinese traditions (often against foreign pressure). When some of these traditions prove to be repressive, such as her romance with Wong, she openly and defiantly ignores them.