In an earlier post, we discussed 1921-22's "Motion Picture Review", which was the first Chinese film magazine to discuss China's own domestic movie output. During that same two-year period, four other film periodicals were published, and one of them actually predated the "Review", although it ignored China's fledgling movie industry. Like the "Review", three of these were short-lived, although one had a lengthy run well into the 1930s.
Chen Xing 晨星 (Morning Star) was an irregular publication begun in March, 1922 in Shanghai by the Mingxing Film Company. The full run of the magazine is unknown, but we know it was still publishing in January, 1925, when it brought out its 22nd issue, called the "Film Art Society Number". Ren Jinping 任矜苹 , one of the studio's founders, was editor-in-chief, with printing and distribution done for Mingxing by a contractor. The contributors were mostly the studio's filmmakers, such as Zhang Shichuan, Zheng Zhengqiu, Zhou Jianyun, Ren Jinping and Cheng Bugao.
The publication focused on introducing and publicizing the movie productions of the Mingxing studio. The focus of the first issue was on discussions of "The King of Comedy Visits Shanghai" and "A Laborer's Love". Subsequent issues focused on "The Orphan Rescues His Grandfather" (issue No.3), "The Abandoned Child" (issue No.4), "The Poor Children" (issue No.6), "A Couple Through Water and Fire" (issue No.9) and "The Divorcee" (issue No.10). Each issue carried material related to the film being introduced, such as information on the actors, the movie's plot, still photos, etc., and articles by the studio's major filmmakers, e.g., Zhang Shichuan's "Respectfully Informing the Reader", Zheng Zhengqiu's "Mingxing's Future Productions" and Zhou Jianyun's "On Directing".
[above, the cover of 'The Morning Star', special issue on 'The Orphan Saves His Grandfather']
Dianying Zazhi 电影杂志 (Cinema Magazine) was one of China's earliest movie magazines, but we know more today of its publishing details than we do of its actual content. It was a monthly, started January 28, 1922 in Beijing. The editorial office was at No.9, Xi Zong Bu Hutong [West Head Section Alley No.9], with printing done by the Huaming 华明 Printers. The number of issues published is unknown, and only one issue, the first one, has made it to our own time.
The editorial objectives listed in that first issue stated the intention of Cinema Magazine was to "recommend worthwhile films, encourage the movie industry, and through movie news add to their appreciation". It focused on reporting current cinema events, with other content that included the elements of film technology, briefly introduced foreign movie personalities, discussed current films, news of the film community, breaking news, etc. Some of the articles in the one existing issue included "Degeneration and evolution of movies", "Movies' merits and virtues", "Good news about filmmaking in India", "Short film and long films compared" and "Principles of making a movie". Most of the articles were translated from foreign movie magazines, but also included some from the pens of Chinese writers. A note at the end said the next issue would focus on French films.
[above, the January 1922 issue of "Cinema", with Mei Lanfang on the cover]
Mingzhu 明珠 (Bright Pearl) was a twice weekly tabloid, published on Tuesdays and Fridays in Guangzhou. It began publication iin 1921, and had brought out 1,034 issues by 1934. The editor-in-chief was Zheng Shufang (郑漱芳), otherwise unidentified.
This was a house organ of the Mingzhu Movie Theater, one of the earliest, most well equipped and luxurious movie palaces in the Guangzhou region. It had exhibition rights to the latest and most in-demand European and American movies, as well as featuring China's own productions.
"Mingzhu" publicized coming attractions at the theater, with corresponding news, brief comments, profiles of stars, film reviews and scripts. Some examples of content were such articles as "The Outlook for China's Movie Industry", "Advice to Chinese Screenwriters", "How I View Chinese Film", "A Short History of the Chaplin Brothers", "The Lost History of Mary Pickford", "A Short History of Yang Naimei" and "Overview of 'Tea Picking Girl'". It also carried literary content such as short fiction and poetry.
With its very early initial publication and its longer than normal life span, more than a decade, this publication contains much historical data on the development of motion pictures in south China, an important research resource.
[left, "Yingxi Congbao". While the caricature on the cover is not identified, it appears to be Harold Lloyd, very popular in China at the time. In addition to crediting Dan Duyu with the artwork, the text states the publication will deal only with American films and Hollywood news]
Yingxi Congbao 影戏丛报 (Shadow Play Group Newspaper) published only one issue, in February, 1921 in Shanghai, so its intended frequency is unknown. It was edited and published by the Shadow Play Group Newspapers office. Although "Motion Picture Review" is generally recognized as China's first movie magazine, this publication would seem to have beaten it into print by two months. However, the "Review" was the first such magazine to publish material related to Chinese productions, while the content of "Shadow Play" consisted entirely of profiles of American stars and Hollywood news, and a groundbreaking column titled "Grouping Shadow Play Figures", in which 16 Hollywood stars were profiled, and in another a writer called "Xinai" (席耐) related anecdotes and tidbits about American stars. No writing credits were given, so much of the textual content may have been translations from American magazines. However, artist-turned-director Dan Duyu is credited with doing all the illustrations.
