Not all old movies are archived there, but some still are... Anyway, can't see them all, can I. Just putting the link here to remind myself it can be watched, after I'm through with the latest drama from SWL. (Ill omen!)
A very old classic movie of 1927, silent and in black and white, showing its age at times, watched in movie concert at the 16th Chinese movie festival in Paris in June 2025. One side note : the play this movie is based upon is the "forbidden" love story book that Lin Daiyu and Jia Baoyu are reading together in A Dream of the Red Chamber in the classic Chinese novel.
To tease her like a kid trying to get her attention back? 😂😂😂 He clearly was not seriously looking for one. He was just bored alone while she was away, and finding a temporary distraction.
So i want to know if i fully understand everything BJS met LQY at the beginning and sort of knew she was his wife,…
Perhaps, if you have time and your interest is now sufficiently awoken, you ought to go back to start and watch attentively. The side characters are not just decoration. They are woven into the story and its complications, and the time line is not linear. LQY is not who she seems to be in the first episodes, where, let's say everyone thought, justifiably, that she was "too good to be true as a waif fallen in love at first sight with a random white haired powerful guy who saved her." In fact, several,of the characters are not who they seem to be. It is revealed piecemeal, so just fast forwarding will only get you totally lost.
It is a nice drama that is not as simple as first thought. Therefore, jumping to conclusions from a vague synopsis and a few spoilers, trailers, skewed previews, or speeding through part of first episodes to deliver peremptory judgement, cannot justify an appreciation. Besides which, gunning down the show because "Bai Lu is not a professional singer" or "there are voice actors" is totally dishonest -- things a certain critic and many haters use because of their own agenda.
If you strongly dislike xianxia, are fundamentally an impatient person who focuses only on one actor/actress, simple stories, have no time.... , ok, zap to other watching. Why not have fun with short and predictable vertical dramas (they are fun too, I enjoy them on and off, not going to blame anyone for their varied tastes if they switch to such!!) If not, just enjoy Feud as it should be.
I still don't understand FL's level of hate on ML that made her stab him. In last few episodes it looks like the…
You are right. The reasons unfold as the story meanders through time going back to show what grievances they have, which they can't manage to get across to each other. His are relatively simple, seen from the general arrangement of godly/immortal hierarchy and powers, but hers are another really deep kettle of fish, and why she tells him repeatedly that he "deserves to die". It's complicated by the fact that she is an immortal too, but taking mortals side in disputes. 100 years is a drop in the pool: immortal time is not measured as the mortals' time. This is clear in the drama with the Meng family segments. I was a bit puzzled at the "love tribulation" : it is not a typical xianxia "mortal tribulation" as described by another commentator and from what I got also through watching other, simpler perhaps, xianxias like Ashes of Love (mortal tribulation = birth, youth, living, suffering, experiencing childbirth and/or illness, wounds, old age, death before return as immortals in 9th Heaven). But Bai Jiusi mentioned they were in fact hiding in mortal plane eps 11-14, both to get away from higher gods attention, who would seize her/them for disrupting fate, and to resolve their issues.
It will be a bit long post at the beginning I just want to say that despite this I like Bai lu acting I understand…
Since you seem to be a faithful follower of Zeng Shunxi who certainly deserves the recognition he gets and more, I have a "fandom exploration" question for you. Do you know exactly what his fandom name is and when, where, how, did he get it ?
(Btw Irene and me both don't dislike your post, but yes, it would gain to be better edited, paragraphs etc, so it it more readable, and also when one launches into a long dissertation, it may be better to just hide it behind spoilers, perhaps after a visible post announcing gist of what will be written. I also think you got it wrong as "wuxia": this is xianxia, as the cast and production all acknowledged.)
Not rushing to get perhaps skewed spoilers through "previews", I am quite enjoying this new drama and its cast, Bai Lu (Lord Siling), Zeng Shunxi (Lord Bai Jiusi), He Ruixian (Fan Ling'er, Siling's now revealed follower), Chen Xinhai (Zhang Suan), Zhao Yiqin (who plays the young men versions in the Meng family, notably Meng Changqin the righteous). It is remarkable how everyone achieves a distinctive personality despite the twists and turns and meandering back and forth timeline in the story.
The OST, with its nostalgic tunes, is also pleasant. Peachey Blossom translated the 6 songs lyrics in the MV playlist in Discussion section, and added a "special" song that was sung by both leads and added to the drama Weibo. Despite it being extraneous, it fits totally the atmosphere. Find the playlist and "7th song" on this direct link : https://kisskh.at/discussions/762931-heng-men-you-hu/142044-feud-full-ost-with-eng-subs-lyrics
I have also added some notes about the OST singers in that thread :)
This is perhaps the most well known movie internationally of Ning Jingwu. The movie, directed and written by him was shortlisted for the "New Generation" competition unit of the 59th Berlin International Film Festival.
It tells the story of a Miao boy named Gun Lala (played by Wang Jishuan 王吉甩) who lived with his grandmother since childhood. Because needed his father to hand him a hunting rifle for his upcoming adult ceremony, he embarked on a journey to find him and experienced a series of events, many joys and sorrows along the way, until he got his hunting rifle and adult ceremony.
Since there is not much else than these two classic movies listed, from the update about her, here is a brief presentation about this once big star of Shanghai :
BAI Yang (1920-1996) was a big star from Shanghai. Revealed at less than seventeen years old by SHEN Xiling's 1937 film: "Crossroads"《十字街头》[Shizi jietou], she would go on to have a successful career in movies, but also on stage at the theater. Her natural acting was particularly well suited to the role of the peasant woman Xiang Lin Sao she played in the 1956 first color feature film of the PRC "New Year Sacrifice"《祝福》[Zhufu] (which has been restored in 4K by China Film Archive and shown at Cannes Classics festival in 2020 and other festivals since).
Synopsis: “The Chanting Willows” tells of the emotional entanglement between a fan painter and two female Yuè opera performers, Chuitiao and Yinxin. The two girls have performed together since they were children and are like sisters. Chuitiao is true to her nature and lives for the opera, whereas Yinxin appears naive, but knows how to work her way up by currying favour with the right people. The two are inseparable until the fan painter, Gong Yushan arrives on the scene. As the popularity of Yuè Opera wanes, Chui Tiao and Yinxin’s relationship also deteriorates. It is only towards the end, when they are about to part, that they realize that the person they need the most is each other." (from https://message2man.com/en/films/the-chanting-willows/)
"Script: Dài Wěi 戴玮, Mèng Wénjìng 孟雯婧. Short story: Wáng Xùfēng 王旭烽. Script planning: He Zizhuang. Photography: Shā Jīnchéng 沙金成. Editing: Jin Di, Liu Xinzhu. Music: Dǒng Yǐngdá 董颖达. Art direction: Qiu Sheng. Styling: Ma Hongwei. Sound: Zhang Jinyan, Long Xiaozhu. Visual effects: Mei Wenyu, Qu Chong. Yuè Opera performance supervision: Chen Yajun, Qiu Qiaofang. Artistic supervision: Zhang Xi. Executive direction: Long Zehua.
Cast: Wāng Yáng 汪飏 (Tong Chuitiao), Kàn Xīn 阚昕 (Meng Yinxin), Zhèng Yúnlóng 郑云龙 (Gong Yushan), A Wang Renqing 阿旺仁青/ Ngawang Rinchen (musician), Zheng Nan (Meng Yinxin’s female cousin), A Hu (cousin’s husband), Jin Yi (Sister Li), Wang Xiaolong (young Tong Chuitiao), Qiu Di (young Meng Yinxin), Yang Xiaoyan (troupe owner), Hai Tong (Yu, tea trader), Yang Shu (Liu, businessman), Sun Liang (Yuè Opera troupe leader), Fu Yonggang (stage director)." (adapted from https://sino-cinema.com/2022/04/16/review-the-chanting-willows-2021/)
Notable are the numerous scenes of performing the yuè opera The Butterfly Lovers, featuring a legendary romantic couple played by two female opera singers.
Yuè opera, also called Shaoxing opera, originated from Shengzhou near Hangzhou and spread in the 1930s to Shanghai, where it became extremely popular, exemplified with performances of The Dream of the Red Pavilion aka The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Romance of the West Chamber, The Butterfly Lovers 梁山伯与祝英台.
" The earliest troupes were called “small singing troupes.” Most of these troupes consisted of local farmers who practiced and performed in their spare time. As the art developed, professional troupes gradually emerged and finally entered Shanghai in 1916, where they further enriched the form with some elements of Peking opera and Shaoxing opera. These troupes consisted predominantly (and sometimes entirely) of female artists. They usually performed in teahouses and called their performance “Shaoxing Civil Opera.” In 1938, the form was renamed as Yuè opera. In April 1950, Shanghai established the East China Experimental Troupe of Yuè Opera, the precursor to the celebrated Shanghai Troupe of Yuè Opera. By the 1950s, there were a large number of dedicated Yuè opera troupes in many provinces. Yuè opera features vivid performance that is attentive to details, and sweet, sinuous melodies that are ideal for expressing emotions. There are several types of melodies, most notably chidiao (soft and smooth tunes), sigongdiao (vibrant and passionate tunes), and xuanxiadiao (sad and melancholic tunes). The repertoire of Yuè opera includes many household classics, such as The Butterfly Lovers and Dream of the Red Chamber. Famous actresses include Yuan Xuefen, Fu Quanxiang, Qi Yaxian, Fan Ruijuan, Xu Yulan, Yin Guifang, Wang Wenjuan, Zhang Guifeng, and Mao Weitao." (https://www.berkshirepublishing.com/ecph-china/2018/01/16/yue-opera/)
Yuè opera/越劇 yuèjù (not to be mistaken for 粤劇 yuèjù "Cantonese opera) was already portrayed in its popular form in the 1965 movie "Two Stage Sisters"/Wutai jiemei 舞台姐妹. The yuè style rose to second most preferred in China (after Beijing opera, but before崑曲 kūnqǔ opera exemplified by The Peony Pavilion or The Pear Garden). This style was often performed by actresses playing male roles, whereas in other regions, it was the reverse, men playing women roles (such as Mei Lanfang, the legendary Beijing opera 京劇 jīngjù singer who inspired the 1993 movie directed by Chen Kaige "Farewell My Concubine"/Ba wang bie ji 霸王别姬) ; another spectacular form of Chinese opera is the one from Sichuan Chuānjù 川劇, specialized in sleight-of-hand masks changes (exemplified by the 1996 movie "The King of Masks"/Bian lian 变脸 ).
The movie starts in Shengzhou where the young singers are preparing for a competition in Hangzhou and features iconic glimpses of the West Lake in Hangzhou on the banks of which grow willow trees). The performances, set in 1992, feature large casts of opera singers, of audiences and a big stage ; in 1996 when the story ends with the departure of Yinxin for the USA (a scene which is also opening the movie), the singers have been reduced to singing for hire on boats, or changing careers.
The almost full cast and crew had traveled to Paris to present the movie and answer questions for almost an hour after viewing it. The director, Harbin-born Dài Wěi 戴玮, explained her choices as being particularly interested in the portrayal of female ambiguity, although the initial short novel (title also translates to “Love by the West Lake”), which she read in 2016, was centered on the male character, so there has been some adaptation there.
Furthermore, her interest was caught by the theme of the decline or cultural practices, notably the Chinese opera through its "yuè" form, so the movie shows the shrinking of platforms, the decline in attendance, especially among the young generation. Therefore, after multiple interviews, she chose to let it be adapted by a young writer, Mèng Wénjìng 孟雯婧, more in touch with the present young generation.
The main actress Wāng Yáng 汪飏 (playing as Tong Chuitiao) was from Harbin but took lessons for several months to master enough to portray the yuè opera singer in the young scholar role of Liang Shanbo, the lover of young lady Zhu Yintai. She developed a liking for that style. The second actress Kàn Xīn 阚昕 (playing as Meng Yinxin) said that she had an aunt who was a yuè opera singer, so she was was more familiar with the style, although none of the actors were professional yuè opera performers and had to prepare seriously. The filming was hampered somewhat by the 2020 epidemic.
The cinematography is often beautiful, shot in 4:3 (1.33:1 aspect ratio), aspects radio, giving an "old video" feel to remind of the popular movies of the 1990s, the time in which the story is st. But it has become unusual in the age of aspect ratios 1.85:1 and 2.39:1 ; or 16:9 (1.7:1) for television. The scenes in the fan workshop were also very interesting with its overflowing pieces on work tables, on the walls, etc.
A scene played by Zhèng Yúnlóng 郑云龙 (Gong Yushan, the specialist called in to help the opera troupe understand the uses of fans in the performance of Butterfly Lovers) goes into details about the forms and uses of fans in Yuè opera: folding, with painted paper, round, or with peony shape... His shoulder long hair reminds both of the hairstyles in fashion in the 1990s, and of the androgynous character he plays, an artist strongly moved by feelings.
The movie was screened in Paris on June 7, 2025, as part of the 16th festival of Chinese movies, with the director, part of cast and production, come to talk afterwards with audience)
The movie was shown on June 11, 2025, at the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, which took part in the showing of a selection for the 16th festival of Chinese movies in Paris. This was the second of two back to back festivals of Chinese movies in Paris, in addition to those brought to Cannes, and to another festival of Chinese movies in London, so even on vacation in Europe, it was amusing to add old and new gems to watch at art houses or cultural centers (where movie seats are inexpensive or free)! Like this one in the new auditorium of the ex Confucius center in Paris which purchased a beautiful 19th century property and renovated + expanded it without destroying the outer facades.
The auditorium was packed full, movie goers perhaps attracted by the facts that as of January 2025, it is the 28th highest-grossing film ever in China, and the trilogy is considered to be the most ambitious and expensive Chinese production ever made. It won several accolades, including the 2023 Golden Rooster Award for Best Picture, and was nominated for the 2023 Golden Deer Award. But it got a patchy international release in cinemas, although it can be found online.
The story is an an adaptation from a part of the classic Chinese novel "The Investiture of the Gods", and has a lot of spectacular battles involving mythical heroes of ancient China. Despite the story deals with magic and mythical heroes, we don't see much else than mortal and earthly realm of the cursed Shāng 商 dynasty, in this first movie.
The investiture is pictured as a sort of metal wand containing the magic scroll sent to help the king of Shang lift the curse that hangs over his dynasty.
The most recognizable of the heroes is Nézhā 哪吒 (played by Wu Yafan), the magic child with his fire wheeled feet and magic scarf. Together with Yáng Jiǎn 楊戩 (aka Erlang Shen, played by Ci Sha) he accompanies Kunlun monk Jiāng Zǐyá 姜子牙 (played by Huang Bo), who, when he finds out that King Yīn Shòu 殷受 (played by Fei Xiang) is not worthy of the scroll, being a selfish and bloodthirsty tyrant king, decides to finally not hand over the Investiture to him.
But the main character in the story was Jī Fā 姬发 (played by Yu Shi) one of four adoptive sons of Yīn Shòu who were held as hostages and asked to kill their own fathers, following the patricide that Yīn Shòu already committed under the influence of his concubine, Sū Dájǐ 蘇妲己 (played by Narana Erdyneeva, aka Naran). This concubine was a nine tailed fox demon who had taken the beguiling appearance of the daughter of the massacred clan leader of Sū. She also persuaded Yīn Shòu to behead his own son and crown prince Yīn Jiāo 殷郊 (played by Chen Muchi) for trying to revenge Yīn Jiāo's mother. Yīn Jiāo's head and body were retrieved by Nézhā and Yáng Jiǎn before the final battle.
Among the more colorful mythical heroes was Léizhènzǐ 雷震子, a monstrous baby demon with gray-green skin, rescued by Duke Jī Chāng 姬昌 — the lord of Xiqi and Duke of the West, and father of Jī Fā while meeting up with Jiāng Zǐyá on his way to Zhāogē the capital of Shāng. Jiāng Zǐyá tasked Yáng Jiǎn to send the infant to cultivate in Kunlun. Swiftly grown, the winged thunder god would help Jiāng Zǐyá, Jī Chāng and Jī Fā in their hours of need, when the latter fought and wounded the King, and bring them back to Xiqi. Jī Fā fled the city with Jiāng Zǐyá in possession of the scroll under hot pursuit by two Tāotiè 饕餮 statues possessed by the black magic sorcerer Shēn Gōngbào 申公豹 (played by Xia Yu). Jī Fā exchanged clothing with Jiāng Zǐyá, drew the statues away, trapping one and escaping the other after jumping off a cliff into a river. He then rode back to Xiqi while Gongbao sent a swarm of crows against him. But Jī Fā did reach Xiqi and safety, where Jiāng Zǐyá was already arrived.
I just finished the 2010 version and I found this version on youtube. I haven't started so I'm not sure if the…
Yes you are right, only the two first episodes are subbed optionally, have to click on "cc" to access those subs (same on alternate link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jnWNLWgCyc&list=PLe0TwPhOCGNXy8CkqHETjPOM_ZRNDsuas) so you'd have to apply your language and listening skills to go on with the 34 remaining episodes. Sighing empathetically with frustrated international audience : many of these old dramas are not entirely subbed. (I'm missing the "cool" archives that many decried and ended up killing).
(I had a look at what you declare watching and see you dropped the ZLY drama - I'm putting that one on hold indefinitely... can't really get my head into that one either, lol! Too.... intellectual? even for me, who does not dislike quirky stuff ; but I liked ZLY in her recent movie of two ex women convicts, "We Girls", which can be "kissed" if you can't find a cinema showing it. As for dramas, I'm turning presently to "Eternal Brotherhood" S2 + "Feud", which started nicely on iQIYI, after the thrills of LoZH and TPoL.
Not to forget miscellaneous Chinese movies watched during my vacation in Paris - why not go to Europe to find and watch Chinese movies?? There were 2, yes 2!, back to back festivals of Chinese movies in Paris these past couple months 2025, in addition to some stuff brought to Cannes, and now still on, another Chinese movies festival in London... Most movies and directors were unknown to me, except those long dead or disappearing from the 1920s-1950s; but it was an occasion to catch a glimpse of Wang Chao, well known to Europeans who like Chinese movies, and of :
Hu Mei, who I remembered from "Confucius" , who spent 18 years planning, writing, and finally directing her own "Dream of the Red Chamber". She was imho too harshly criticized because of the young actress who played Dai Yu... who now has risen to better pro in other roles. The cinematography on the other hand, and details of rooms and gardens, are exquisite.
I was trawling the Tube in between episodes of Feud, going back to catch up now; tomorrow, I will explore the Chinese cultural center in Paris bc why not, and to watch another, free, movie, part of the 16th Festival of Chinese movies in Paris. Looking for the recording of an old gem of 1927 that was shown in movie concert to check back on the story... that Romance of the Western Chamber, amusingly, is the forbidden book that Daiyu and Baoyu are reading in Hongloumeng...)
2 
4 
1 
Not all old movies are archived there, but some still are... Anyway, can't see them all, can I. Just putting the link here to remind myself it can be watched, after I'm through with the latest drama from SWL. (Ill omen!)
I totally agree with Penel's assessment below.
He clearly was not seriously looking for one. He was just bored alone while she was away, and finding a temporary distraction.
is in order here, sure. Liked the small dance clip extracted. Also found the spontaneous singing a capella the theme song together by ZSX and BL was cute.
But why not keep comments about Keep Running S13 on the page reserved for it? (I'm ok with cross referencing here and there if useful.)
https://kisskh.at/788926-keep-running-season-13
It is a nice drama that is not as simple as first thought. Therefore, jumping to conclusions from a vague synopsis and a few spoilers, trailers, skewed previews, or speeding through part of first episodes to deliver peremptory judgement, cannot justify an appreciation. Besides which, gunning down the show because "Bai Lu is not a professional singer" or "there are voice actors" is totally dishonest -- things a certain critic and many haters use because of their own agenda.
If you strongly dislike xianxia, are fundamentally an impatient person who focuses only on one actor/actress, simple stories, have no time.... , ok, zap to other watching. Why not have fun with short and predictable vertical dramas (they are fun too, I enjoy them on and off, not going to blame anyone for their varied tastes if they switch to such!!)
If not, just enjoy Feud as it should be.
100 years is a drop in the pool: immortal time is not measured as the mortals' time. This is clear in the drama with the Meng family segments.
I was a bit puzzled at the "love tribulation" : it is not a typical xianxia "mortal tribulation" as described by another commentator and from what I got also through watching other, simpler perhaps, xianxias like Ashes of Love (mortal tribulation = birth, youth, living, suffering, experiencing childbirth and/or illness, wounds, old age, death before return as immortals in 9th Heaven). But Bai Jiusi mentioned they were in fact hiding in mortal plane eps 11-14, both to get away from higher gods attention, who would seize her/them for disrupting fate, and to resolve their issues.
(Btw Irene and me both don't dislike your post, but yes, it would gain to be better edited, paragraphs etc, so it it more readable, and also when one launches into a long dissertation, it may be better to just hide it behind spoilers, perhaps after a visible post announcing gist of what will be written. I also think you got it wrong as "wuxia": this is xianxia, as the cast and production all acknowledged.)
The OST, with its nostalgic tunes, is also pleasant. Peachey Blossom translated the 6 songs lyrics in the MV playlist in Discussion section, and added a "special" song that was sung by both leads and added to the drama Weibo. Despite it being extraneous, it fits totally the atmosphere. Find the playlist and "7th song" on this direct link : https://kisskh.at/discussions/762931-heng-men-you-hu/142044-feud-full-ost-with-eng-subs-lyrics
I have also added some notes about the OST singers in that thread :)
It tells the story of a Miao boy named Gun Lala (played by Wang Jishuan 王吉甩) who lived with his grandmother since childhood. Because needed his father to hand him a hunting rifle for his upcoming adult ceremony, he embarked on a journey to find him and experienced a series of events, many joys and sorrows along the way, until he got his hunting rifle and adult ceremony.
BAI Yang (1920-1996) was a big star from Shanghai. Revealed at less than seventeen years old by SHEN Xiling's 1937 film: "Crossroads"《十字街头》[Shizi jietou], she would go on to have a successful career in movies, but also on stage at the theater. Her natural acting was particularly well suited to the role of the peasant woman Xiang Lin Sao she played in the 1956 first color feature film of the PRC "New Year Sacrifice"《祝福》[Zhufu] (which has been restored in 4K by China Film Archive and shown at Cannes Classics festival in 2020 and other festivals since).
The two girls have performed together since they were children and are like sisters. Chuitiao is true to her nature and lives for the opera, whereas Yinxin appears naive, but knows how to work her way up by currying favour with the right people.
The two are inseparable until the fan painter, Gong Yushan arrives on the scene. As the popularity of Yuè Opera wanes, Chui Tiao and Yinxin’s relationship also deteriorates. It is only towards the end, when they are about to part, that they realize that the person they need the most is each other." (from https://message2man.com/en/films/the-chanting-willows/)
"Script: Dài Wěi 戴玮, Mèng Wénjìng 孟雯婧. Short story: Wáng Xùfēng 王旭烽. Script planning: He Zizhuang. Photography: Shā Jīnchéng 沙金成. Editing: Jin Di, Liu Xinzhu. Music: Dǒng Yǐngdá 董颖达. Art direction: Qiu Sheng. Styling: Ma Hongwei. Sound: Zhang Jinyan, Long Xiaozhu. Visual effects: Mei Wenyu, Qu Chong. Yuè Opera performance supervision: Chen Yajun, Qiu Qiaofang. Artistic supervision: Zhang Xi. Executive direction: Long Zehua.
Cast: Wāng Yáng 汪飏 (Tong Chuitiao), Kàn Xīn 阚昕 (Meng Yinxin), Zhèng Yúnlóng 郑云龙 (Gong Yushan), A Wang Renqing 阿旺仁青/ Ngawang Rinchen (musician), Zheng Nan (Meng Yinxin’s female cousin), A Hu (cousin’s husband), Jin Yi (Sister Li), Wang Xiaolong (young Tong Chuitiao), Qiu Di (young Meng Yinxin), Yang Xiaoyan (troupe owner), Hai Tong (Yu, tea trader), Yang Shu (Liu, businessman), Sun Liang (Yuè Opera troupe leader), Fu Yonggang (stage director)." (adapted from https://sino-cinema.com/2022/04/16/review-the-chanting-willows-2021/)
Notable are the numerous scenes of performing the yuè opera The Butterfly Lovers, featuring a legendary romantic couple played by two female opera singers.
Yuè opera, also called Shaoxing opera, originated from Shengzhou near Hangzhou and spread in the 1930s to Shanghai, where it became extremely popular, exemplified with performances of The Dream of the Red Pavilion aka The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Romance of the West Chamber, The Butterfly Lovers 梁山伯与祝英台.
" The earliest troupes were called “small singing troupes.” Most of these troupes consisted of local farmers who practiced and performed in their spare time. As the art developed, professional troupes gradually emerged and finally entered Shanghai in 1916, where they further enriched the form with some elements of Peking opera and Shaoxing opera. These troupes consisted predominantly (and sometimes entirely) of female artists. They usually performed in teahouses and called their performance “Shaoxing Civil Opera.” In 1938, the form was renamed as Yuè opera. In April 1950, Shanghai established the East China Experimental Troupe of Yuè Opera, the precursor to the celebrated Shanghai Troupe of Yuè Opera. By the 1950s, there were a large number of dedicated Yuè opera troupes in many provinces. Yuè opera features vivid performance that is attentive to details, and sweet, sinuous melodies that are ideal for expressing emotions. There are several types of melodies, most notably chidiao (soft and smooth tunes), sigongdiao (vibrant and passionate tunes), and xuanxiadiao (sad and melancholic tunes). The repertoire of Yuè opera includes many household classics, such as The Butterfly Lovers and Dream of the Red Chamber. Famous actresses include Yuan Xuefen, Fu Quanxiang, Qi Yaxian, Fan Ruijuan, Xu Yulan, Yin Guifang, Wang Wenjuan, Zhang Guifeng, and Mao Weitao." (https://www.berkshirepublishing.com/ecph-china/2018/01/16/yue-opera/)
Yuè opera/越劇 yuèjù (not to be mistaken for 粤劇 yuèjù "Cantonese opera) was already portrayed in its popular form in the 1965 movie "Two Stage Sisters"/Wutai jiemei 舞台姐妹. The yuè style rose to second most preferred in China (after Beijing opera, but before崑曲 kūnqǔ opera exemplified by The Peony Pavilion or The Pear Garden). This style was often performed by actresses playing male roles, whereas in other regions, it was the reverse, men playing women roles (such as Mei Lanfang, the legendary Beijing opera 京劇 jīngjù singer who inspired the 1993 movie directed by Chen Kaige "Farewell My Concubine"/Ba wang bie ji 霸王别姬) ; another spectacular form of Chinese opera is the one from Sichuan Chuānjù 川劇, specialized in sleight-of-hand masks changes (exemplified by the 1996 movie "The King of Masks"/Bian lian 变脸 ).
The movie starts in Shengzhou where the young singers are preparing for a competition in Hangzhou and features iconic glimpses of the West Lake in Hangzhou on the banks of which grow willow trees). The performances, set in 1992, feature large casts of opera singers, of audiences and a big stage ; in 1996 when the story ends with the departure of Yinxin for the USA (a scene which is also opening the movie), the singers have been reduced to singing for hire on boats, or changing careers.
The almost full cast and crew had traveled to Paris to present the movie and answer questions for almost an hour after viewing it. The director, Harbin-born Dài Wěi 戴玮, explained her choices as being particularly interested in the portrayal of female ambiguity, although the initial short novel (title also translates to “Love by the West Lake”), which she read in 2016, was centered on the male character, so there has been some adaptation there.
Furthermore, her interest was caught by the theme of the decline or cultural practices, notably the Chinese opera through its "yuè" form, so the movie shows the shrinking of platforms, the decline in attendance, especially among the young generation. Therefore, after multiple interviews, she chose to let it be adapted by a young writer, Mèng Wénjìng 孟雯婧, more in touch with the present young generation.
The main actress Wāng Yáng 汪飏 (playing as Tong Chuitiao) was from Harbin but took lessons for several months to master enough to portray the yuè opera singer in the young scholar role of Liang Shanbo, the lover of young lady Zhu Yintai. She developed a liking for that style. The second actress Kàn Xīn 阚昕 (playing as Meng Yinxin) said that she had an aunt who was a yuè opera singer, so she was was more familiar with the style, although none of the actors were professional yuè opera performers and had to prepare seriously. The filming was hampered somewhat by the 2020 epidemic.
The cinematography is often beautiful, shot in 4:3 (1.33:1 aspect ratio), aspects radio, giving an "old video" feel to remind of the popular movies of the 1990s, the time in which the story is st. But it has become unusual in the age of aspect ratios 1.85:1 and 2.39:1 ; or 16:9 (1.7:1) for television. The scenes in the fan workshop were also very interesting with its overflowing pieces on work tables, on the walls, etc.
A scene played by Zhèng Yúnlóng 郑云龙 (Gong Yushan, the specialist called in to help the opera troupe understand the uses of fans in the performance of Butterfly Lovers) goes into details about the forms and uses of fans in Yuè opera: folding, with painted paper, round, or with peony shape... His shoulder long hair reminds both of the hairstyles in fashion in the 1990s, and of the androgynous character he plays, an artist strongly moved by feelings.
The movie was screened in Paris on June 7, 2025, as part of the 16th festival of Chinese movies, with the director, part of cast and production, come to talk afterwards with audience)
The auditorium was packed full, movie goers perhaps attracted by the facts that as of January 2025, it is the 28th highest-grossing film ever in China, and the trilogy is considered to be the most ambitious and expensive Chinese production ever made. It won several accolades, including the 2023 Golden Rooster Award for Best Picture, and was nominated for the 2023 Golden Deer Award. But it got a patchy international release in cinemas, although it can be found online.
The story is an an adaptation from a part of the classic Chinese novel "The Investiture of the Gods", and has a lot of spectacular battles involving mythical heroes of ancient China. Despite the story deals with magic and mythical heroes, we don't see much else than mortal and earthly realm of the cursed Shāng 商 dynasty, in this first movie.
The investiture is pictured as a sort of metal wand containing the magic scroll sent to help the king of Shang lift the curse that hangs over his dynasty.
The most recognizable of the heroes is Nézhā 哪吒 (played by Wu Yafan), the magic child with his fire wheeled feet and magic scarf. Together with Yáng Jiǎn 楊戩 (aka Erlang Shen, played by Ci Sha) he accompanies Kunlun monk Jiāng Zǐyá 姜子牙 (played by Huang Bo), who, when he finds out that King Yīn Shòu 殷受 (played by Fei Xiang) is not worthy of the scroll, being a selfish and bloodthirsty tyrant king, decides to finally not hand over the Investiture to him.
But the main character in the story was Jī Fā 姬发 (played by Yu Shi) one of four adoptive sons of Yīn Shòu who were held as hostages and asked to kill their own fathers, following the patricide that Yīn Shòu already committed under the influence of his concubine, Sū Dájǐ 蘇妲己 (played by Narana Erdyneeva, aka Naran). This concubine was a nine tailed fox demon who had taken the beguiling appearance of the daughter of the massacred clan leader of Sū. She also persuaded Yīn Shòu to behead his own son and crown prince Yīn Jiāo 殷郊 (played by Chen Muchi) for trying to revenge Yīn Jiāo's mother. Yīn Jiāo's head and body were retrieved by Nézhā and Yáng Jiǎn before the final battle.
Among the more colorful mythical heroes was Léizhènzǐ 雷震子, a monstrous baby demon with gray-green skin, rescued by Duke Jī Chāng 姬昌 — the lord of Xiqi and Duke of the West, and father of Jī Fā while meeting up with Jiāng Zǐyá on his way to Zhāogē the capital of Shāng. Jiāng Zǐyá tasked Yáng Jiǎn to send the infant to cultivate in Kunlun. Swiftly grown, the winged thunder god would help Jiāng Zǐyá, Jī Chāng and Jī Fā in their hours of need, when the latter fought and wounded the King, and bring them back to Xiqi. Jī Fā fled the city with Jiāng Zǐyá in possession of the scroll under hot pursuit by two Tāotiè 饕餮 statues possessed by the black magic sorcerer Shēn Gōngbào 申公豹 (played by Xia Yu). Jī Fā exchanged clothing with Jiāng Zǐyá, drew the statues away, trapping one and escaping the other after jumping off a cliff into a river. He then rode back to Xiqi while Gongbao sent a swarm of crows against him. But Jī Fā did reach Xiqi and safety, where Jiāng Zǐyá was already arrived.
so you'd have to apply your language and listening skills to go on with the 34 remaining episodes. Sighing empathetically with frustrated international audience : many of these old dramas are not entirely subbed. (I'm missing the "cool" archives that many decried and ended up killing).
(I had a look at what you declare watching and see you dropped the ZLY drama - I'm putting that one on hold indefinitely... can't really get my head into that one either, lol! Too.... intellectual? even for me, who does not dislike quirky stuff ; but I liked ZLY in her recent movie of two ex women convicts, "We Girls", which can be "kissed" if you can't find a cinema showing it. As for dramas, I'm turning presently to "Eternal Brotherhood" S2 + "Feud", which started nicely on iQIYI, after the thrills of LoZH and TPoL.
Not to forget miscellaneous Chinese movies watched during my vacation in Paris - why not go to Europe to find and watch Chinese movies?? There were 2, yes 2!, back to back festivals of Chinese movies in Paris these past couple months 2025, in addition to some stuff brought to Cannes, and now still on, another Chinese movies festival in London... Most movies and directors were unknown to me, except those long dead or disappearing from the 1920s-1950s; but it was an occasion to catch a glimpse of Wang Chao, well known to Europeans who like Chinese movies, and of :
Hu Mei, who I remembered from "Confucius" , who spent 18 years planning, writing, and finally directing her own "Dream of the Red Chamber". She was imho too harshly criticized because of the young actress who played Dai Yu... who now has risen to better pro in other roles. The cinematography on the other hand, and details of rooms and gardens, are exquisite.
I was trawling the Tube in between episodes of Feud, going back to catch up now; tomorrow, I will explore the Chinese cultural center in Paris bc why not, and to watch another, free, movie, part of the 16th Festival of Chinese movies in Paris. Looking for the recording of an old gem of 1927 that was shown in movie concert to check back on the story... that Romance of the Western Chamber, amusingly, is the forbidden book that Daiyu and Baoyu are reading in Hongloumeng...)