Three Times (2006) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Chen follows May because his feelings for her have not diminished despite their time apart. After she returns to Chiayi, he is compelled to reconnect with her, demonstrating his persistent affection. He tracks her movements from one pool hall to another until they serendipitously reunite in Huwei, where their connection is rekindled.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, when May locks up the pool hall, Chen promises to write her a letter, showing his initial commitment to maintaining their connection.

• chen
• may
• chiayi
• follow
• love
• reunion

Mr. Chang refuses for two reasons: he deeply despises the concubinage system, considering it morally wrong, and he is committed to fighting the Japanese through diplomatic means, which requires him to avoid personal entanglements that could distract from his political mission.

• mr chang
• ah mei
• concubine
• refusal
• political
• japanese occupation

After purchasing Ah Mei's freedom, Mr. Chang returns to the brothel where her sister still works. Ah Mei looks at him with longing, hoping he will take her with him, but he remains unmoved by her silent plea. She gains physical freedom but remains emotionally trapped, discovering that freedom does not automatically bring the relationship she desired.

Foreshadowing: Mr. Chang's earlier refusal to make her his concubine foreshadows his inability to offer her the emotional connection she seeks.

• ah mei
• freedom
• mr chang
• brothel
• rejection

Zhen discovers Jing's epilepsy management badge while they are together, which reveals a vulnerable side of her he did not previously know. This discovery triggers emotional turmoil because it connects to his own complicated situation, his girlfriend has just left after seeing Zhen take photos of Jing, and finding out Jing has a medical condition adds to the emotional complexity of their forbidden relationship.

• zhen
• jing
• epilepsy
• badge
• discovery
• emotion

Despite finally receiving the letter she had waited for, May feels restless and trapped by her mundane life in Kaohsiung. The letter, though sentimental, does not provide the change she desperately seeks. She returns to Chiayi seeking solace in past memories, drawn to a place that represents a different time in her life.

Foreshadowing: The promise of the letter and the anticipation of Chen's return had earlier ignited hope in May, showing her desire for something more.

• may
• chiayi
• letter
• restlessness
• return
• memory

The three stories, set in 1966, 1911, and 2005, are thematically connected rather than linearly. Each explores love and longing against the backdrop of social constraints: war and military duty in 1966, Japanese occupation and gender hierarchy in 1911, and modern romantic complexity in 2005. The parallel structures highlight how romantic struggles persist across different eras despite changing historical contexts.

• three stories
• connection
• theme
• time periods
• parallel
• love

Mr. Chang's letter contains a haunting poem about the sorrow that awaits Taiwan after liberation. The letter touches Ah Mei deeply because it reflects his political consciousness and foreshadows the collective suffering of her homeland. Her tears represent a turning point, moving from personal heartbreak to a broader emotional resilience as she connects her own struggle to Taiwan's larger historical fate.

• ah mei
• mr chang
• letter
• poem
• tears
• taiwan

Jing's girlfriend sends a chilling message hinting at the hurt that will come if Jing's love remains unreciprocated. This message represents the consequences of Jing's affair with Zhen, her betrayal of her girlfriend and the guilt it carries. The weight of these words, combined with the emotional turmoil of her complicated situation, causes Jing to collapse in distress on her bed.

• jing
• girlfriend
• message
• breakdown
• guilt
• betrayal

At the train station in Huwei, as clouds gather, Chen takes May's hand and they find shelter beneath an umbrella. This intimate gesture represents their connection finding warmth and protection against the uncertainties of their situation, Chen being a soldier who must return to his station, and May yearning for something more from life. It is a poignant moment of unity amid external pressures pulling them apart.

Foreshadowing: Their earlier interactions at the pool hall, with stolen glances and whispered conversations, build toward this physical expression of their emotional bond.

• chen
• may
• umbrella
• hand
• intimacy
• shelter
• reunion

Zhen has been waiting to meet Jing for what they had planned as a long-awaited exchange of photos he took of her and her epilepsy badge. The badge represents Jing's vulnerability that Zhen discovered earlier, creating a deeper level of intimacy between them. This planned exchange symbolizes their relationship moving beyond surface-level attraction toward something more personal and authentic.

Foreshadowing: Zhen's earlier discovery of the badge while at Jing's place planted the seed for this desire to connect on a deeper level.

• zhen
• jing
• photos
• badge
• exchange
• waiting

After purchasing Ah Mei's freedom, Mr. Chang does not return for her because his commitment to the political cause against Japanese occupation takes priority over personal relationships. His earlier refusal to make her his concubine, due to his disdain for the system and his need to remain unentangled, means he sees freedom as an end in itself, not as a pathway to being together. Ah Mei remains at the brothel where her sister still works, trapped by circumstances beyond physical freedom.

Foreshadowing: Mr. Chang's political writings and adventures, which initially captivated Ah Mei, reveal his prioritization of the collective struggle over individual happiness.

• mr chang
• ah mei
• freedom
• not return
• political
• priorities

After the tense night involving Zhen, his girlfriend's departure, and the threatening message from her own girlfriend, Jing is overwhelmed by emotional turmoil. She channels these feelings into writing lyrics, creating a raw, reflective song that captures her internal strife. This creative process becomes her way of processing guilt, confusion, and the complexity of her relationships.

Foreshadowing: The earlier mention of Jing as a club singer establishes her artistic expression as a natural outlet for her emotional state.

• jing
• song
• lyrics
• emotion
• 创作
• turmoil

The film uses three separate love stories set in 1966, 1911, and 2005 to explore how love, longing, and relationships are shaped by their historical contexts. Each era presents different obstacles: military service and separation in 1966, colonial occupation and gender oppression in 1911, and modern relationship complications in 2005. By presenting these parallel narratives, the film suggests that while the details change across time, the fundamental human experiences of love and yearning remain constant.

• three stories
• era
• love
• comparison
• theme
• historical context