Representation of woman in contemporary Chinese cinema: An example of Zhang Yimou

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the representation of the social role of women in Chinese culture and traditional Chinese cinema in Zhang Yimou?s films was overturned. For this purpose the worldwide most-watched films of Zhang Yimou Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004), Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) were taken as examples and forms of representation of woman was investigated in these films.Firstly Chinese Film History then Fifth Generation Directors were examined afterwards the background constitudes the language of Zhang Yimou?s films, his life and experiences were semtinized. In the second part films that are the subject of this study were analyzed using the semiotic square developed by Greimas.As a result of analysis assumptions have been verified; it has been concluded that Zhang Yimou transformes the representation of woman in traditional Chinese Cinema and re-produces the identity of woman and the Chinese Society by contributing to the process of identity construction and root searching.Key Words:1.Chinese Cinema2.Fifth Generation3.Zhang Yimou4.Woman in Zhang Yimou?s Films