A Study of Jia-spatial Culture in Chinese Family-Themed Films Since the New Century

In China, the Jia has always been a significant spatial domain. As one of the important genres in Chinese cinema, family-themed films embody profound national and indigenous characteristics within the home-space, exhibiting distinct aesthetic qualities across various historical periods. Since the dawn of the new century, domestic family-themed films have diversified alongside the development of genre cinema. For film narration, space is equally vital, as the temporal flow of a film is predicated on spatial combinations and transformations. This plays a crucial role in shaping characters, plots, and environments, while the film’s regional, cultural, and modern aesthetic features are also manifested through its framed spaces. Using spatial theory as a reference and domestic family-themed films from 2000 to 2023 as samples, we explore the cultural mirrors constructed within the symbolic imagery space, the space of family relations, and the social spaces formed by families in different contexts. By tracing the pedigree of Chinese family-themed films and their spatial narratives, and comparing the differences between texts, this paper observes the developmental trajectory, structural patterns, and aesthetic characteristics of family spatial narratives since the new century. It thereby explores the socio-cultural reflections mirrored in family-themed films. Lastly, it should be noted that the discussion of domestic family-themed films in this paper primarily focuses on mainland Chinese films, while also incorporating some Hong Kong and Taiwan family-themed films. Despite regional differences and distinct developmental paths, the shared cultural memory of the Chinese nation is inherently embedded within families across these regions and is manifested through the daily narratives of family life, highlighting the cultural identity of the nation.