3 Important Lessons from Marvel’s Shang-Chi that will Benefit Your Child in School and Life

Marvel’s latest flick Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings introduced audiences to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) first Asian superhero - Shang-Chi. Cinemagoers were treated to slickly choreographed fight scenes and fireworks aplenty, as well as meaty post-credits scenes to chew on. But Shang-Chi is also at its core a story about family, and a particular type of family that many of us in Singapore can relate to, parents and children both. What this means is that the movie presents a good opportunity to discuss with your child more than just which other MCU heroes Shang-Chi can beat in a fight. From us at The Learning Lab, here are 4 lessons for school and life that we think your child can take away from the movie (spoilers ahead): 

By this point of the movie, the audience already knows what a superb martial artist adult Shang-Chi (played by Liu Simu) is, and so this scene serves to emphasise two things: 1) that despite the kungfu pedigree of his parents, little Shang Chi doesn’t start off as a natural, and 2) the determined training Shang-Chi had to undergo in order to become a living weapon. 

While we hope your child will never be driven to do anything for the same reasons as Shang-Chi, the chances are that whether it is martial arts, playing an instrument, skateboarding or even mastering his or her academic journey, your child has stood or will stand at the same starting point little Shang-Chi did in the movie; trying something for the first time and not being very good at it. Learning to bounce back from the initial setback and forging on is an essential life skill that will serve him or her well in school and beyond.

Ironically, as we know, in giving up loving and the love of his children, Wen Wu loses far more than he gains because his dream of resurrecting his wife is an impossible one. And without the love and support of those around him, he is an easy target for the lies and deceit of the Dweller-in-Darkness and nearly dooms the entire universe as a result. It is also Wen Wu’s sacrifice in the final moments of the battle against the Dweller that gives Shang-Chi the opportunity and strength to prevail. 

Children will do well to remember that their parents not only mean the best but are also speaking from years of accumulated wisdom. As Wen Wu, who has lived for centuries, tells the gruff old archer Guang Bo (played by kungfu icon Yuen Wah): “I’ve eaten more salt than you have eaten rice in your life”, a snappy way of telling a younger person that they had better respect the voice of wisdom. So, parents, you know what to say the next time your child talks back to you!

In a more serious vein, however, the movie also does a good job of exploring the very top-down, patriarchal dynamic of traditional Asian families. There is no denying that this “what I say, goes” mindset can cause conflict between parents and children today, children who are being told all the time how important it is to think independently and make up your own mind, especially for major decisions. Remind your child that, aside from laying down the law when they misbehave, you also value open communication and their feedback. Set out the standards you expect them to live by, and then hold them by these standards. There is a certain balance that has to be struck to raise a child who respects authority but does not slavishly obey it, and parents play the most important role in this process.