Jia Zhangke’s Ash Is Purest White is an odyssey of a Jianghu gangster and his moll through the changing landscape of China and its people. The film not only narrates a drama but also touches upon the socioeconomic changes in modern China. It portrays the self-sacrifice of a woman but not revenge. It narrates the story of a mob-couple but it does not turn into a mobster film. It showcases changing times in modern China but does not restrict the views of the plight of the common Chinese citizens. Only a filmmaker cognizant of the country’s socioeconomic and political circumstances can make a film like this. That’s the reason Jia Zhangke is considered one of the most important filmmakers in modern China.
The film is a triptych and opens in 2001. Jianghu mobster Bin (Liao Fan) and his girlfriend Qiao (Zhao Tao) run a mahjong parlor in the northern Chinese town of Datong in 2001. In spite of being a mobster, Bin abides by the Jianghu codes of conduct. Being a mining town, Datong’s economy is mostly driven by coal mining. As the coal prices are declining, the income from mining is decreasing. Socioeconomic condition is deteriorating in Datong and common citizens are migrating to other cities. Because of his mob-power, Bin is well regarded in the town, which empowers him to settle the disputes among common citizens. One day, Bin is attacked while driving his car on a street and beaten up severely. Qiao is also present in the car and comes to his rescue by shooting in the air. Even though it is Bin’s gun, Qiao confesses the gun’s ownership and is sentenced to five years imprisonment. Bin is sentenced to only one year.
The second part of the story is unraveled after 5 years in 2006. Qiao is disheartened that Bin did not come to meet her even once in the last five years. She intends to meet him and sets out for Hubei along the Yangtze River by boat. She is astonished to see the change in China much like her own life. Midway she is cheated by a lady and proposed for sexual intercourse by a biker. She steals the bike, drives to a police station nearby, and pleads to the police personnel to take her to Bin. She is finally able to track Bin but he is reluctant to meet her and sends his current girlfriend to counter her. Qiao does not agree to depart and asks for his confirmation in person. Bin appears in front of her and informs her that he does not love her anymore. Qiao breaks all the ties with him and leaves for Datong.
The third part of Ash Is Purest White opens in Datong in 2017. Leaving her past behind, Qiao reaches Datong and starts her life anew in the old Mahjong parlor. She runs the parlor with the old customers. One day she receives a phone call and the voice happens to be of Bin. He got a stroke recently because of heavy drinking and cannot walk anymore. She takes him to the parlor but now he has more rude and impatient behavior. He gets angry and fights even at a small disagreement. Qiao almost throws him out of the parlor. She gets him to a doctor and he starts walking. Finally, Bin departs keeping only a voicemail for unconcerned Qiao. She has clearly moved on in her life.
The film deals with the changes in Qiao’s life as well as changes in the socioeconomic conditions of modern China. There is a reference to the three gorges dam in the Yangtze River. Many inhabitants had to be displaced by the Chinese government to construct the dam. Economic advancements are desired and blessing to society but those are not materialized without a cost to the common citizens. Skyscrapers are constructed removing the slums. Industrialization exploits poor laborers. Shopping malls and supermarkets take the breath out of the small shops.
Qiao’s life goes through the turmoil but she is strong enough to start her life afresh. In the film, Bin and Qiao look at a volcano and infer that the ash produced out of the volcano is the purest white. The phrase is used as a metaphor in the film. When a person goes through the toughest level of trouble, he or she is formed into a perfect human being. Qiao’s self-sacrifice for Bin has made her a perfect human being with resilience and perseverance. The turmoil in her personal life has not broken her, rather has made her strong and aspiring to take up new challenges. This film showcases the theme of change not only in a country or a region but also in the lives of common citizens. Change is inevitable and sometimes it makes human beings vulnerable. The right approach though should be to accept it and move on. Love and sacrifice are two of the purest forms of human emotions.
Jia Zhangke is one of the most important names of the sixth generation of Chinese filmmakers. He himself is from Northern China and more specifically from the Shanxi region. So, he has personally witnessed the changes in China’s socioeconomic conditions over the years. His characters are stressed upon and vulnerable to the modern advancements but find their roots in their own places. They go through turbulent times but are able to pass through the turmoil and settle down. Jia’s stories are based upon the ups and downs of his characters as well as society. There is no love in revenge. There is no satisfaction in being defeated. So, his characters struggle and find their way through sadness no matter how many times they stumble upon. Qiao provides testimony to Jia’s approach towards making this film. Filmmaking cannot be more personal as well as the original. Zhao Tao as Qiao is mesmerizing and catches all the attention. Eric Gautier’s breathtaking cinematography captures Chinese culture and its people. Liao Fan as Bin is good and justifies his role. Even though he portrays a mobster, his screen presence is measured and structured. Ash Is Purest White is a tribute from Jia to his motherland and its culture and people.