Motion pictures were first introduced to China in 1896 and today China has become a major player in the film industry. However, the story of how Chinese cinema became what it is today is an exceptionally turbulent one. It encompasses incursions by foreign powers, warfare among contending rulers, the collapse of the Chinese empire, and the massive setback of the Cultural Revolution.   The Historical Dictionary of Chinese Cinema covers the history of Chinese cinema from its very beginning in 1896 to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section contains several hundred cross-referenced dictionary entries on films, directors, and historical figures. This book is an excellent access point for anyone interested in Chinese cinema and for scholars interested in investigating ideas for future research.

"Chinese cinema has an illustrious history. This historical dictionary of Chinese cinema strives to give the reader a grasp of that history. This valuable reference work opens with a chronology beginning in 1895 with the country's first public screening and concluding with the opening of a new complex in Tianjin that serves as a co-production site with U.S. filmmakers....A superb, well-written, interesting book. The scholar as well as the casual reader will certainly learn a great deal about one of the foundations of eastern culture." - American Reference Books Annual

"Like its siblings in the “Scarecrow Press HD” series, this economical tome presents a neat summary of major events and catalytic forces in shaping the title subject, here being Chinese movie-making. Via a chronology, cross-referenced entries, appendixes, and a sizable bibliography, films, actors, and directors are explained in the context of China’s political backdrop since the cinema industry’s inception in 1896. A helpful Chinese-English translation of film titles is provided. Anyone interested in cinema from this part of the world will find this a fascinating browse and creditable reference source. VERDICT Appropriate for academic libraries supporting liberal arts curricula, and public libraries serving a Chinese-American population." - Library Journal

"Chinese cinema has a long and often turbulent history that reflects the history of the country itself. That history is well served in the chronology, bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced entries about actors, directors, and films in this informative work. A glossary of personal names and a list of film titles in English and Chinese are also provided. Coauthor Tan Ye is the coeditor (with Lin Jin) of Theory and Practice of Screenwriting in China and America (2008) and author of Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater (2009). Film scholars and students of modern Chinese culture will savor this rich resource." - Booklist

"The nearest counterpart to this volume by professor Ye and PhD candidate Zhu (both, Univ. of South Carolina) is Yinjin Zhang's more substantial Encyclopedia of Chinese Film (CH, Nov'99, 37-1277), which it updates and extends. Both works are necessary for adequate reference coverage of Chinese film. Whereas historical essays in the encyclopedia are geographically oriented, with entries on Chinese film in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other places, the broad historical essay that introduces Chinese cinema in this historical dictionary is chronologically based. It describes five phases--from a classic "origins" period to the current, post-Tiananmen Square one. Accompanying the entries is a thorough chronology, which lists developments from 1895 to 2012. The introduction suggests a third scheme of classification of Chinese cinema, based less on place or historical period and more on filmmakers; six generations of filmmakers are differentiated. Most of the entries that make up the body of this dictionary focus on people connected with the Chinese movie industry. However, entries are also included for selected specific films; "topical" terms, such as awards ("Golden Rooster Awards"), film education ("Beijing Film Academy"), types of films ("Mainstream Melody Film," "Martial Arts Film"); and other terms ("Left-Wing Cinema Movement," "Women"). A glossary is included. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers." - CHOICE