Farewell, China

Clara Law explores what we must leave behind in order to push ahead in her psychological mystery-drama Farewell China.

“Where’s Hung?”

It’s not exactly a secret that immigrating is difficult. To leave behind the country, and the culture, you grew up in, to split yourself off from that world is never an easy decision to make. Some adapt well, others less so. Immigration stories wildly differ, from those who embraced new cultures entirely, to those who held on to what they could of their past. But the schizophrenia inherent in immigration is a part of everyone for whom their country of inhabitation is not the one they were raised in. It is this headspace and cultural isolation that Clara Law explores both literally and figuratively in Farewell China.

In order to secure a better life for herself, husband and newborn child Li Hung (Maggie Cheung) leaves for New York. After a few months of letter exchanges where she expresses an increasing dislike of America, she tells her husband Nansan (Tony Leung Kai Fai) she wants to divorce. Confused, Nansan attempts to reply, but all of his letters are returned to him. Determined to find her, he smuggles himself into New York with ten bucks and a sombrero and begins a quest to locate his wife.

The film explores the past year of Hung’s life, as Nansan attempts to piece together the time she spent in New York. He meets a colourful cast of characters, including an artist he knew in China, who saw Hung briefly at one of his art shows, and friendly fifteen-year-old prostitute Jane (Hayley Man), with whom he ends up staying with for some time.

Law’s film is equal parts adventure, mystery and romantic drama; and explores the ways in which Chinese immigrants to the US have taken to it. Jane has all but abandoned her heritage, as it reminds her of her parents. She refuses to speak Chinese and only responds to her English name. The artist claims to have sold his soul to a gallery who treats him only as a curio. In all five Boroughs there are countless Chinese immigrants – many illegal – who are doing what they can do make it in the USA, often at the cost of their own self.

This becomes more than evident with both Nansan and Hung. Hung struggles to cope with the loneliness, the violence, secrecy and everything else that comes from being an immigrant, legal or otherwise, and this leaves her thoroughly damaged. Nansan gets rightly chewed out for leaving her to do this alone.

The English title – Farewell China – is a  lot more than a political statement about leaving behind a restrictive, totalitarian country. It’s also about everything else they have left behind. Hung drops her child and husband to find a better life, one she hopes to be able to bring them into later, sure, but loses almost everything in the process. She loses communication with her husband, she loses her child, and her prospects, and even her sense of self and sanity. Nansan follows the same path as her, though his journey ends on a very different note. Both Hung and Nansan find themselves rapidly stripped of the things that make them them.

In a way it’s hard to say exactly what Farewell China is trying to get across. It doesn’t paint Mainland China in anything resembling a positive light, so much so the film was never screened there. But it doesn’t pain the USA any better either. In barely a week, Nansan goes from humble, stoic individual to pimping out an actual child. Only his quest to find Hung keeps him slightly grounded. The film leaves some questions open, about Hung’s time in New York, but whatever the truth is, you know it’ll be completely heartbreaking.

Verdict: Clara Law’s exploration of the fracturing of selves that comes from having to adapt to a new world is dark, gorgeously acted and will stay with you long after the credits have finished rolling

Overall entertainment: 8.5/10
Violence: 3/10
Sex: All of it underage!
Eating in New York: You got pizza, pizza or pizza

Farewell, China (1990)
Also known as:
Cantonese, English

Director: Clara Law
Writer: Eddie Fong

CAST

Maggie Cheung – Hung
Tony Leung Kai-fai – Nansan
Hayley Man – Jane
Chun Liao – Drycleaner