The Golden Lotus
In the middle of the Ming dynasty, eunuchs dominate the court. Minister of War Yu Qian is framed, imprisoned, and his household is sentenced to death, leaving only his son and daughter to be exiled beyond the frontier. The Eastern Depot eunuch Cao Shaoqin tries to eliminate the children and sends assassins after them, only to be blocked by Yu Qian's former follower Zhu Ji. Cao then sends his trusted men Pi Shaotang and Mao Zongxian to Dragon Gate Inn, the last stop before the pass. At the same time, the righteous swordsman Xiao Shaozi arrives to meet the innkeeper and plan a rescue, while Zhu Ji and his cross-dressed sister Zhu Hui also reach the inn. The three parties test one another's identities and motives, quickly falling into a chaotic fight. As Cao Shaoqin races toward Dragon Gate Inn, his formidable martial arts make him the final enemy the heroes must face.
The Spring River Flows East
Divided into two parts, Eight Years of Turmoil and Before Dawn, the film follows the family fates of Sufen, Zhang Zhongliang, and those around them. From the War of Resistance to postwar Shanghai, it portrays separation, betrayal, and shifting class fortunes. The result is a major epic of Chinese realist cinema.
Song of the Fishermen
The poor fisherman Xu Fu and his family are crushed by boat owners, debt, and fishing capital. His children, Xiao Mao and Xiao Hou, struggle to survive as their lives are tossed about by poverty and unrest. Through the tragedy of one fishing family, the film reflects the suffering of ordinary people at the bottom of old China. With its famous title song and realist expression, it became a landmark of early Chinese cinema.