Message from smilanick

Raise the Red Lantern, a film by Zhang Yimou was an outstanding film about China in the 1920’s. According to the movie sleeve, it was originally banned in mainland China because it does not display Chinese society in a positive light. I highly recommend it.

The movie depicts the clash of modern with tradition. Songlia becomes the 4th mistress to a Chinese nobleman, but she is different from the others in that she has been to university and is educated. He is fastidious about following the tradition of his ancestors. The mistresses all try to sabotage each other to win the affection of the master. Whomever he chooses to share a bed with each evening, his servants raise the red lanterns at their home. Is this where “red light district” came from? Adultery on behalf of one of the wives is punishable by death. For the master of course, polygamy is his right and it’s just.

Songlia, in a drunken stupor accidentally lets the beans out about mistress #3 and the good doctor. The opera singer is hauled away to the death room and hung. Songlia goes mad and the nobleman takes yet another mistress, number 5. It’s a powerful commentary of how society is structured and its very patriarchal control.