'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' turns 20: Why Jen Yu is the Asian heroine we're still looking for

Two decades later, we still haven't seen an Asian female-led action movie quite as revolutionary as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." 

The iconic Ang Lee-directed wuxia film paved the way for other well-known action classics like "Kill Bill," but there hasn't been another movie as complex and rich as this. "Crouching Tiger," which hit theaters on Dec. 8, 2000, tells the story of Jen Yu, a secretly trained Chinese female warrior who steals the sacred sword of a legendary master. Not only is this Oscar-winning movie (it won four Academy Awards, including best foreign film) a nod to feminism, but it also represents a major milestone in Asian representation in the entertainment industry. 

"Crouching Tiger" is most memorable to me thanks to its unique antagonist Jen Yu (played by Zhang Ziyi). She's rebellious, ambitious, and, best of all, relatable. It's exciting to see a female lead who beats up men left and right, but even more satisfying to be inspired by a character that physically resembles me, especially after years of white heroines such as Princess Leia, Black Widow and Katniss Everdeen. 

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Growing up, I had almost never seen an Asian lead, let alone an Asian female lead, and became accustomed to watching them only in the background. Take "Snowpiercer," for instance, Bong Joon-ho's 2014 film in which the two Asian characters are sidelined to hoist Chris Evans into the spotlight. Or even 2016's "Suicide Squad," which features samurai superheroine Katana (Karen Fukuhara), who is almost entirely wordless throughout the movie. Jacob Batalon merely adds a comedic effect as Spider-Man's geeky gamer buddy in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," and Kelly Marie Tran, the "Star Wars" franchise's first Asian American actress in a lead role, appears for barely more than a minute in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

This was almost always the norm for me and other Asian Americans: to expect to be seen as ripples in the background, fulfilling diversity quotas but having no relative impact in the overall plot. My people were pushed to the side, reminiscent of a reality that reminds us that our accomplishments always mean less.

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With stereotypical labels such as "good at math" and "studious," Asians are rarely praised for performing well on an exam or getting into a dream college. We're faced with the false ideology that this is not only unimpressive but also expected of us: "That's not surprising. You're Asian!" What's meant to be a compliment to the "model minority" consequently is a reminder that nothing we do, nothing we've earned, is enough. Instead, we're just overlooked.

Until I watched "Crouching Tiger," I didn't realize how empowering it would be to see an Asian female lead who goes beyond these stereotypes and is unapologetically herself. Jen Yu isn't some exotic silent killer; she's just like me and many Asian girls out there. She's young, naive and ambitious, craving thrilling adventures in a society confined by gender politics.

In a world that often fails to recognize our hard work, I found it refreshing to watch Yu's prowess be embraced and fully accepted, as the narrative avoids underestimating Yu. Rather, most of the male characters recognize Yu's potential as a female warrior in a male-dominated arena: Her love interest, Lo (Chang Chen), even acknowledges that she's a much better fighter than he is.

"Crouching Tiger" also makes sure to portray Jen Yu as deeply flawed, which only adds to her character's depth and development. She's not a perfect heroine in the same way that many Asians aren't the perfect students or scholars. Her biggest weakness is shared by Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars": She's arrogant.

When she steals the powerful Green Destiny sword, the invincible Yu is temporarily blinded by hubris that prevents her from becoming the traditional "hero." However, despite her malicious actions, such as stabbing Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh, who also stars in "Crazy Rich Asians"), she ultimately realizes the wrongdoings and consequences of her selfishness (albeit a little too late).

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Aside from her impressive skills, Jen Yu is most proud to be what I am: an Asian woman. Though it can be argued that Disney's "Mulan" exemplifies a similar pride and confidence for young Asian children, the difference lies in that Mulan must disguise herself as a man and pretend to be someone she's not in order to have her potential acknowledged by others.

In "Crouching Tiger," Yu is her own independent individual, unequivocally herself and not letting anyone, be it her lover, mother, or master, tell her what she should do with her life. She doesn't let her gender stop her, as she abandons her aristocratic responsibilities and ditches plans for an arranged marriage to follow her heart and achieve free will, whether that means falling in love with a lowly bandit or fighting off one of the most respected swordsmen, Master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat).

It's been 20 years since this martial arts gem came out, and I've never seen a movie quite like it, partly because of the irreplicable complexity that Jen Yu embodies. She's an inspiring and even admirable lead for young girls like me: a strong-willed girl doing whatever she wants in a time period that restricts her freedom. And let's not forget the film's rich cultural history, as "Crouching Tiger" beautifully portrays the traditions of Qing Dynasty China. 

Even though she's technically the villain, Jen Yu was the Asian American hero that I needed, teaching me that self-expression and happiness are worth fighting for (literally). 

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