Synopsis
"Raise the Red Lantern" is a 1991 drama film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Gong Li, and adapted from Su Tong's novel "Wives and Concubines." It tells the story of Songlian, a university student forced to marry into the Chen family compound as the fourth concubine, who gradually descends into madness amid the brutal game of favoritism among the wives and concubines. It has a Douban rating of 8.8 and won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
Overview
Raise the Red Lantern is a 1991 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou, with a screenplay by Ni Zhen, adapted from Su Tong's novella Wives and Concubines. Gong Li stars in the lead role, with Ma Jingwu, He Saifei, Cao Cuifen, and others joining the cast. The film has a runtime of 125 minutes and boasts a high Douban rating of 8.8. It won the Silver Lion (Best Director) at the 48th Venice International Film Festival and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language. Recognized for its extreme symmetrical aesthetics, strong color contrasts, and profound critique of the feudal system, the film is widely considered the pinnacle of Zhang Yimou's directorial career.
The film tells the story of Songlian, a young, university-educated woman in the Republican era who is forced to marry into the Chen family compound as the Fourth Mistress. Gradually, she descends into madness amidst the cruel games of feudal etiquette and rivalry among the wives and concubines. With an extremely refined visual language, Zhang Yimou transformed a story of female tragedy into a profoundly moving cinematic masterpiece.
Plot
Nineteen-year-old Songlian (Gong Li), having completed only one year of university, is forced by her stepmother to marry Master Chen (Ma Jingwu) of the Chen family compound as his Fourth Mistress after her father's death leaves the family in financial ruin. The Chen family is a typical large feudal household, where the Master has four wives, each with her own courtyard.
The Chen family enforces a brutal set of rules: each evening, the housekeeper hangs a large red lantern at the gate of the courtyard belonging to the mistress chosen by the Master to spend the night with. The chosen mistress enjoys various privileges—she can order special dishes, receive a foot massage, and freely command other servants the next day. The red lanterns become a symbol of power fiercely contested by the mistresses.
Initially, Songlian feels disgust and disdain for these practices upon entering the Chen household. However, she is soon drawn into the cruel competition for favor. The First Mistress, Yuru, is elderly and no longer participates in the rivalry. The Second Mistress, Zhuoyun (Cao Cuifen), appears kind and gentle on the surface but is the most cunning. The Third Mistress, Meishan (He Saifei), is sharp-tongued and straightforward, and is having an affair with Dr. Gao.
Songlian initially gets along well with the Third Mistress but gradually begins to employ various tactics to win favor. She feigns pregnancy to gain the Master's attention, but when the deception is discovered, the Master orders her lanterns to be "sealed"—meaning he will never enter her courtyard again. Devastated, Songlian completely breaks down and descends into madness after Meishan is caught in her affair with Dr. Gao and executed.
The following summer, the Chen compound welcomes a young Fifth Mistress. Songlian, now insane, wanders the courtyards in her student uniform, becoming yet another soul consumed by the Chen family compound.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gong Li | Songlian | Fourth Mistress, university dropout, ultimately suffers a mental breakdown |
| Ma Jingwu | Chen Zuoqian | Master Chen, symbol of feudal patriarchy |
| He Saifei | Meishan | Third Mistress, sharp-tongued, has an affair with a doctor |
| Cao Cuifen | Zhuoyun | Second Mistress, appears kind but is deeply cunning |
Cultural Impact
Raise the Red Lantern is a pinnacle of Chinese cinematic aesthetics. Zhang Yimou extensively uses symmetrical compositions in the film, portraying the Chen family compound as an exquisite prison. The high walls of the courtyard houses, the orderly courtyards, and the rows of red lanterns—every frame resembles a meticulously composed painting, simultaneously symbolizing the imprisonment of individuals by the feudal system.
The film's use of color is textbook-level. The red of the lanterns starkly contrasts with the grey walls, symbolizing the conflict between desire and repression. The interplay of winter snow and red lanterns pushes this visual impact to its extreme. Zhang Yimou's mastery of color reaches its zenith in this film.
It is worth noting that Master Chen's face is never fully shown throughout the film—he remains a faceless presence, much like the feudal system itself, omnipresent yet impossible to confront directly. This directorial choice has been widely praised by film critics.
The film is also regarded as a peak of Chinese-style horror. The red lanterns, traditionally symbols of celebration, become emblems of power and oppression in the film. The sense of horror simmering beneath the refined surface is more chilling than that of direct horror films.
References
- Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/1293323/
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/大红灯笼高高挂
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/大红灯笼高高挂
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