The first primary source I'm looking at is the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Led by Taiwanese director Ang Lee, the movie is a martial arts film in the traditional Chinese genre of "wuxia". What makes the movie stand out from other Chinese movies of the genre is its status as a multinational production for a Western audience. The film features actors and actresses from across the Sino-sphere, pulling from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and mainland China where the film takes place. The part I've found interesting to look at from a scholarly perspective is the way the film attacks the orientalist dichotomy and simplification by faithfully portraying a Chinese genre for a Western audience. In doing so, the film works both to legitimize and spread awareness of Chinese media and culture, as well as counter Western notions of orientalism.

A second source I'm thinking of working with is the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). The film is currently relevant enough that I don't find I need to belabor the point of explaining its plot. What I find interesting about it for the purpose of the research paper is how closely is ties into the most recent unit of Asian-American science fiction. At the surface level it is an example of Asian-America science fiction, but what makes it such a good example is the way it follows the tropes of Asian American science fiction so well. It's an immigrant story with a Chinese cultural richness, and the central story mechanic of multiverses is a means of expressing a central theme of dissatisfaction and regret that is often felt by members of the wider Asian diaspora. My concern with EEAAO is whether or not I can figure a way to fit into scholarly discussion without repeating points that have already been covered ad nauseam.

For a final topic I have Teresa Teng's career and discography. To be completely honest I don't have much here in terms of research topic ideas. The issue with researching Teng and her impact is that she was very much an East Asian phenomenon, becoming renowned throughout Taiwan, China, and Japan for her singing and being notable for her ability to break into Communist China's music space. Despite her significance, the fact that she was in her prime in the 70s-80s and her reach not extending to the West nearly as much means scholarly discourse about her and particular works is difficult to find. Nevertheless, I think Teng's story is interesting from a worldbuilding perspective because it represents the unique period of optimism in East Asia during the 70s and 80s as countries there developed economically and culturally, with China being particularly relevant as it opened up to the rest of the world. While I'm likely to stick with one of the two films above, I still find this facet of Asian history interesting and important to discuss.