Kung Fu Panda is an animated family, comedy, action-adventure film directed by Mark Osbourne and John Stevenson. Released in 2008, it stars Jack Black as the voice of the protagonist, Po, an enormous but lovable panda. Before Po’s journey, Po is a very different panda than the one we admire by the end. Lazy, socially awkward, and ridiculed for his size, he often breaks plates and sleeps in while working as a waiter at his father’s restaurant in the Valley of Peace. Knowing he doesn’t fit in, Po indulges himself in a dream world where he is a kung fu warrior working alongside his heroes, the Furious Five. After he is “accidentally” chosen to become the “Dragon Warrior,” completes long months of training, and is victorious in an epic battle, Po finally defeats the antagonist Tai Lung. He then becomes respected and revered by the villagers, including his father. Po’s Hero’s Journey transforms him from an idle dreamer into an assertive, capable warrior.
Po’s call comes in the form of a piercing gong ringing over the valley. He immediately ascertains the “Dragon Warrior” is to be chosen, and, going against his father’s orders to serve noodles, rushes to the Jade Palace, anxiously anticipating the final decision. After a fateful incident involving a chair loaded with fireworks, Po finally lands in the walls of the palace, after he was earlier unable to get inside the palace doors before they closed. Dizzy and startled, Po wakes up to find the finger of the great tortoise Master Oogway pointed right at him. Gasps go out as everyone present realizes Po has been chosen to become the great “Dragon Warrior.” As the celebrations begin, Master Shifu, a red panda who eventually becomes Po’s mentor, begs Master Oogway to reconsider his decision...
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... and Shifu lay down next to each other, until Po says, “‘Want to get something to eat?’” (Kung Fu Panda 2008). Shifu responds, sighing, “‘Yeah”’ (Kung Fu Panda 2008).
Kung Fu Panda is a pristine example of the Hero’s Journey. As the viewer follows Po’s journey, it is very easy to identify each stage of the journey and see how these stages transform Po from a lazy slug into a ninja-like warrior, calling out his catch phrase “‘Skadoosh!’” as he demonstrates his supreme kung-fu abilities (Kung Fu Panda 2008). He gains self-confidence in his abilities, using his newly discovered inner strength to rise above his obstacles. However, the film’s ending is just the beginning for Po. He can now use his knowledge and his training to defend the Valley of Peace and all of China with the help of his now-comrades and greatest allies, the Furious Five and Master Shifu.
The giant panda is part of the Ursidae family and in the order of Carnivora. Animals that are in the order of Carnivora usually eat meat but the giant panda specializes in the herbivorous diet of bamboo. The giant panda has retained the typical monogastric carnivore digestive system which is typically short and has no special compartments to retain food or any symbiotic bacteria needed to break down cellulose from the bamboo into any usable nutrients. Since the giant panda is unable to digest cellulose and lacks the necessary symbiotic bacteria for the digestion of bamboo, they have to rely on mainly the cell content through a process where the bamboo is first eaten and then passed unaltered in the digestive tract in a very short time. The giant panda must eat a large amount of bamboo daily in order to meet their energy requirements.
One day an old man comes to join the family for supper-- he new Poh-Poh from Old China... the man is odd looking and Liang thinks him to be "the Monkey Man" from the ghost stories her grams is always telling. Regardless Liang and this man she comes to call Wong-Suk become great friends. They go to the movies together and get jeered at (I'm not sure if this is beacause 'Beauty and the Beast' or because they are Chinese); he tells her stories; and she dances for him.
The film, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, showcases Wu Xia and the imbalance of Yin and Yang. She tells him to make a wish and this connects the story of the young man leaping from the mountain to save his parents (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). Jen feels by leaping she is granting Lo’s wish (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). This makes Jen the tragic hero as she is finally free from the imprisonment of her duties as a governor’s daughter as well as her past with the Jade Fox (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon).
In Pa Chin's Family, he portrays a traditional Confucian family battling to keep their traditions and their way of life in tact, amidst the deep upheaval and civil disorder gripping China. Pa Chin clearly portrays a family of which the Venerable Master Kao rules supreme at the expense of his family. The Kao family runs into several set backs such as suicide, death, depression, unhappy marriages, family conflict, and lack of respect for elders that undoubtedly lead to the unraveling of the Kao family. One significant reason the Kao family fails to maintain its integrity and way of life is because of the clash between Confusion traditionalism and Chinese cultural modernization. One of the main driving forces in disruption in Kao family tradition would have to be the rebellious youth, Chueh-min, Chueh-hui, and Chin in particular.
their every day lives. In this novel each major principle of Taoism is followed by an explanation made though a humorous story staring Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends.
Nonetheless, Monkey’s intellectual journey shows him how to become humble about this knowledge and effectively use it. On page 75, Buddha presents Monkey a chance to have the Jade Emperor’s position under one task: to jump off the palm of Buddha’s right hand. Although Monkey thinks that the task is absurd and easily doable he fails and even suffers from embarrassment. As Monkey jumped off Buddha’s palm and what he thought was the ground, he only managed to jump to the base of Buddha’s middle finger. Monkey failed to realize that jumping off Buddha’s hand would result in leaving the face of Earth. However, he stated, “This is the end of the World”, when looking at the hands of Buddha. With his knowledge yet not being used effectively, he failed to understand his words that resulted in his embarrassment and shock demonstrated on page 76. He effectively uses his knowledge in the beginning in Chapter XXIV when he comes up with a clever plan to overthrow the Tiger Strength Immortal, Deer Strength Immortal, and Ram Strength Immortal. The three immortals initiate a series of games of replicating various skills that they each possess. In order for Tripikita and his disciples to regain their passports and move on their journey to gather the Scriptures, Tripikita must successfully win every game. Given an open opportunity to use his knowledge and
...s more and more irritated by Chin-Kee. It comes to a point where he has a fight with Chin-Kee (207). At the end of the fight, Danny manages to knock off Chin-Kee's mask, which reveals his true identity as the Monkey King (212). Danny is transformed back to Jin Wang. Jin realizes he should be happy with whom he really is and that transformations are not necessary. Through these back and forth transformations, Jin finally is at peace with his true identity and who he should continue to be.
Andrew Lam. “Chinese Culture and the Politics of “Kung Fu” Panda’”. One Vietnam. Published June 17, 2011. Accessed November 10, 2013.
The Giant Panda is a creature of mystery. Adults and children alike appreciate it for its cute, fuzzy, lovable qualities, but it is an animal that is in desperate need of immediate attention. Scientists know the basics: how and what they eat, where and how they live, and how they reproduce. The fact remains, however, that this universally loved national symbol of China is facing the threat of extinction. What accounts for this fact and what can be or is being done to protect the panda from such a fate? This paper will discuss the characteristics and lifestyle of the panda as well as issues and questions that arise as a result of the threat of their extinction.
Wu Xia or Wuxia – a type of Chinese story utilizing martial arts of ancient China which showcases heroism (Dictionary)
Lee, Bruce. "Bruce Lee - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). 2001. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. .
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” (Lau Tzu). Born into a life of noodles and relaxation Po, a chubby panda, always wanted to be a Kung Fu master. Out of nowhere an opportunity arises to have his dream become reality. Po, like any normal panda snatches up this once in a lifetime opportunity and runs with it. But when the going gets tough, he doesn’t know if this is the life he was meant to live. While the film was meant for enjoyment, DreamWorks has incorporated clear examples of the three major Chinese Schools of Thought: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
The Fight Club, directed by David Fincher, constructs an underground world of men fighting with one and other to find the meaning to their lives. Ed Norton and Brad Pitt are the main characters who start the fight club. They make a set of rules in which everyone must follow.
The Giant Panda is a large mammal that is a well known animal in the animal kingdom. The Giant panda is an interesting species physically, which makes it very popular. The Giant panda is plays an important role in chinese culture as well. Today you will see many aspects of the giant panda including its, physical features, diet, reproduction, lifespan, habitat, history, and cultural importance.
The main themes of the story are loneliness, materialism, and freedom from society. Tyler was created because of the lack of connection the narrator had with the people around him. The narrator was lonely and attended so many support groups because of it. He was not rejected at the support groups because the members thought he was sick just like they were. Materialism is a reoccurring theme as the narrator mentions how he has worked his entire life for the Ikea items in his apartment. He tried to fill the void in his life by buying worthless, meaningless stuff. People spend too much time working for things they do not need. The narrator comes to the conclusion that, “You are not your job or your possessions.” Only once a person realizes that can he or she finally let go and start living. “It’s only after you’ve lost everything,” Tyler says, “that you’re free to do anything.” In order to be free, we must not care about the stuff we own. Our whole lives are spent working to pay for stuff. If we did not have stuff to pay for, we would not have to work as hard and our time could be spent doing something more meaningful.