Raise the Red Lantern

Raise the Red Lantern simplified Chinese traditional Chinese pinyin D Hng Dnglong Gogo Gu is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It is an adaption by Ni Zhen of the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. The film was later adapted into an acclaimed ballet of the same title by the National Ballet of China, also directed by Zhang.

The film is set in 1920s China during the Warlord Era, years before the Chinese Civil War. Nineteenyearold Songlian Snglin, played by Gong Li, whose father has recently died and left the family bankrupt, marries into the wealthy Chen family, becoming the fourth wife or rather the third concubine or, as she is referred to, the Fourth Mistress S Titai of the household. Arriving at the palatial abode, she is at first treated like royalty, receiving sensuous foot massages and brightly lit red lanterns, as well as a visit from her husband, Master Chen Ma Jingwu, the master of the house, whose face is never clearly shown.Songlian soon discovers, however, that not all the concubines in the household receive the same luxurious treatment. In fact, the master decides on a daily basis the concubine with whom he will spend the night whomever he chooses gets her lanterns lit, receives the foot massage, gets her choice of menu items at mealtime, and gets the most attention and respect from the servants. Pitted in constant competition against each other, the three concubines are continually vying for their husbands attention and affections. ........

Source: Wikipedia