The Absent Father: Patriarchy and Social Order in the Films of Zhang Yimou.

This article discusses the representation of social order and family relations in China in the films of Zhang Yimou. Movies including "The Road Home," "Happy Times," and "Not One Less" are discussed in terms of their representation of patriarchy in China. Issues of the relationship between Western and Chinese values in Zhang's films are raised. The role of satire and questions about the relationship between Chinese values and social and economic conditions in Zhang's movies are contemplated. The theme of the absent father in Zhang's work is considered.