The Identity of Chinese Stars in Manchukuo Film Corporation

“Traitor” or “Hero”? Looking back at the war, the public tends to define a person in black-and-white terms, so how should we determine the identity of the Chinese stars who made propaganda movies for the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo for many years. They were not only the tools of cultural propaganda for “Manchukuo Film Corporation”, but also “national heroes”, “public idols”, and the backbone of the foundation of Chinese cinema in the eyes of the public. During the period from the founding to the dissolution of Manchukuo Film Corporation, they experienced the intertwining of multiple power relations. Identity is socially constructed, and the recognition of one's own identity is based on differences. During the period of the Manchukuo Film Corporation's existence, these stars navigated complex entanglements of power dynamics. Identity is a social construct, shaped by one's recognition of self in relation to societal differences. Through the recruitment of actors by the Manchukuo Film Corporation in 1937 and their choices after the founding of New China, this paper explores their sense of self-identity, offering insights into how we should understand “outsiders” in ideological terms and “others” in cultural terms.