First Among Equals: Zhang Shichuan

    When in the mid-1980s the productions of such prominent Chinese directors as Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige began receiving international attention, references to "China's Fifth Generation" of filmmakers increasingly popped up in Western media.  Now we have the "Sixth Generation."  But while this implies that at one time there was a First through Fourth Generation, they are seldom mentioned.  Who were they?  We will discuss these earlier filmmakers here from time to time,, but we have to start out with the First Generation, and the man who was first among the First:  Zhang Shichuan.