Peony Pavilion

In the 1930s in Suzhou, Cui Hua, a courtesan from a tea house, becomes the fifth wife of a nobleman. She begins navigating a rigid household and the subtle politics of her new status. Her position sets the stage for hidden longings to emerge.

Within the mansion, Cui Hua forms an intense bond with Rong Lan, the husband’s cousin, sparked by their shared love of Kunqu Opera. Their closeness grows in secret, sheltered from the husband’s neglect. The relationship hints at forbidden desire within the family.

Cui Hua and her daughter Hui Hui are neglected by her husband, leaving Cui Hua increasingly lonely. She turns to opium to cope and forms a bond with the loyal butler, who soon enlists in the army. The mansion becomes a place of quiet desperation and hidden desires.

Facing neglect and despair, Cui Hua and Hui Hui escape the mansion to live with Rong Lan. The move marks a turning point, uniting the women against an unsympathetic patriarchal world. They find a fragile sanctuary in Rong Lan's household.

Zhi Gang, a handsome examiner, arrives at Rong Lan's school on official business, and he and Rong Lan begin an intimate relationship. Cui Hua remains unaware at first as the affair unfolds in secrecy. Rong Lan describes her feelings as indulgent toward Cui Hua, and the time with Zhi Gang feels guilt-free.

Cui Hua receives news that the butler died in the war and then discovers his diary, which reveals his unspoken feelings for her. The diary unsettles Cui Hua and complicates her loyalties between Rong Lan and Zhi Gang. The moment blends grief with a troubling new memory.

At the park, Cui Hua and Hui Hui bump into Rong Lan and Zhi Gang. Zhi Gang urges them to spend time together, but Rong Lan refuses, leaving Cui Hua to cry by the pond. The encounter crystallizes the tension and competing affections that haunt them.

That night, Cui Hua asks Rong Lan to invite Zhi Gang to dinner; Rong Lan stays quiet. Cui Hua retreats to her room to smoke opium as her health worsens. Rong Lan breaks down in tears, torn between the two lovers.

Zhi Gang completes his assignment at Rong Lan's school and departs, leaving Rong Lan to grieve the loss of their brief infatuation. The separation strains the fragile relationships within the trio. Cui Hua remains torn between loyalty to Rong Lan and her own desires.

Cui Hua burns the butler's diary and spends a quiet night with Rong Lan, reminiscing about the times they've shared. The act signals a turning point as memory competes with present tensions. The two women cling to a past that cannot be easily resolved.

On another day, they visit the park with Hui Hui and recall the day Cui Hua met Rong Lan and Zhi Gang. Rong Lan asks Cui Hua whether she cried because of the butler or because of seeing her with Zhi Gang. Cui Hua does not answer, and Rong Lan urges leaving it in the past.

Rong Lan remembers a birthday celebration she once threw for Cui Hua, calling it the happiest day of their lives. Cui Hua falls asleep on Rong Lan's shoulder, signaling a tender, unresolved bond between them. The memory lingers as they drift toward an uncertain future.