The late 1980s to the mid-1990s witnessed a period of social transitions and changes in China. The acting in the films of this period showed the aesthetic characteristics of “anti-condition”. As Laozi’s way of thinking and speaking, “anti” is both a philosophical category and an aesthetic category, and has two meanings of “contrary” and “return”. As far as the meaning of “contrary” is concerned, “anti” is the specific content that is really used to explain and display, and it appears as another value orientation that is contrary to the traditional value of Confucian morality. In terms of the meaning of “return”, it refers to returning to its nature, its roots, and returning to its true nature without departing from its own nature. After the cynicism and laziness that appeared in the transitional period of the times collided with the traditional cultural roots of the mainstream literati, the acting aesthetics of “anti-condition” was formed. In these movies, the game-styled irony and idle characters reflected in urban intellectual youth, as well as the corresponding acting paradigms led to a unique style in words, deeds, and emotional patterns, revealing the confusion and resistance of young people, who were looking for directions in different ways under the influence of the transformation in the post-planned economy era. |