However, this innovation also brought controversy. On the one hand, some believed that Hero was too focused on visual effects, causing the "story and characters to recede to the margins, with concepts and form becoming the center of the film." On the other hand, the deviation from the wuxia tradition also made some audiences uncomfortable. The spirit of "knights-errant challenging authority with martial arts" in traditional wuxia culture is replaced by the appeal for "peace under heaven"; the assassin is no longer a symbol of resistance against authority but instead becomes an understander or even collaborator with authority.
5.3 Artistic Expression and Ideology
Another layer of controversy surrounding Hero concerns the relationship between artistic expression and ideology. Some critics believed that the film's beautification of Qin Shi Huang reflected an "advocacy and restoration of servility." When discussing Hero, Taiwanese media directly interpreted the film as "a hint of national unification issued by a booming mainland China to a Taiwan陷入 economic difficulties."
Facing these controversies, we need to see the complexity of Hero. The film does express affirmation of unification and historical progress through the assassins' transformation, but it also retains a warning to power through Nameless's death. Just as described in "Disrobing and Search" – "The warrior's gaze is steady, eyes sharp and bright" – the individual, when facing power, still maintains spiritual independence and criticality.
6 Conclusion: The Resonance of Poetry and Film
Guided by the two poems "A Bow to the Court" and "Disrobing and Search," we are able to explore more deeply the rich ideological connotations and artistic achievements of Zhang Yimou's Hero. Though brief, these two poems accurately capture the most tense scenes and deepest themes in the film.
"A Bow to the Court," depicting the court scene, reveals the grandeur and oppression of the power structure and the individual's solitary choice within it. "Disrobing and Search," through its description of bodily discipline, reveals the micro-struggle between power and the individual. Together, the two poems outline the core proposition of Hero: at critical historical moments, how does the individual face power, and how do they transcend personal vendetta to consider the larger issue of "All Under Heaven"?
Through Hero, Zhang Yimou boldly innovated upon the traditional wuxia genre, elevating the assassin story of settling scores freely to a philosophical reflection on history, power, and sacrifice. Although this innovation sparked controversy, it undoubtedly expanded the intellectual and artistic space of Chinese cinema. As Zhang Baiqing predicted, Hero "will开拓 new paths for the development of Chinese wuxia films."
Ultimately, Hero and these two poems remind us: true heroism may lie not in steadfast resistance or blind obedience, but in maintaining the ability to think independently and making difficult choices within complex historical contexts. Nameless's choice not to kill the King of Qin was not out of fear, but out of understanding; not an abandonment of resistance, but a choice of a more profound form of warning. This complexity and dialectical thinking are precisely the ideological value of Hero that transcends ordinary wuxia films, and are the profound启示 conveyed to us by the two poems.
In the contemporary context, Hero and these two poems continue to resonate. When we face complex social realities and personal choices, Nameless's dilemma and抉择 still inspire us to think: what is true heroic spirit? How can the individual maintain dignity and conscience within social structures and historical tides? The answers to these questions are perhaps hidden in those figures who "ascend the steps, a solitary figure toward the clouds," in those gazes that are "steady, eyes sharp and bright," and in those choices daring to make sacrifices for higher ideals.