Zhang Yimou's latest work The Flowers of War, a movie set against the backdrop of the Nanjing Massacre during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) has re-triggered the debate on movie ratings in China.

The film was rated "R" by the Classification and Rating Administration of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for its Oscar-qualifying run in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in late December, which meant viewers under 17 had to be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.

Zhang doesn't have to worry about the film's rating back home, as there is no rating system in this country. Children in China can quite easily view adult material that other countries feel might be disturbing to young viewers.