Chinese Studies

Call Number
CHI0037

故事开始於1930年的北京，在北京戏剧的传统里，即使女角也由男人扮演。程蝶衣和段小楼自小跟师傅学戏，程选择了旦角，而段则选了生角，为了演好〈霸王别姬〉里的旦角虞姬，程深陷於她的情绪反应中，爱上戏里扮演他丈夫项羽的段。十年後，段爱上一女子—菊仙，程在既悲既妒的情绪中，跟随富有的袁四爷，成了他的人。60年文革，艺术者段被批斗，程只能当一个苟活偷生者，段幸逃往香港，文革後，程获平反後往港寻得段，於最後再演一段〈霸〉片中，结束了自己的生命，也结束了幻梦中的情爱欺哄。

Two boys meet as students in a punishing Peking Opera school in the 1920s and remain partners, friends and enemies for 50 years. It’s The Sunshine Boys with screechy singing, and one of the boldest, most beautiful Chinese films in a decade dominated by them. In the “Concubine” opera that becomes their trademark, stolid Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) plays the emperor, luscious Cheng Dieyi (the late, great Leslie Cheung) the concubine. Yin and yang are the roles they assume offstage as well, as Xiaolou has an affair with a courtesan (Gong Li, the imperious queen of Chinese cinema) and Dieyi flirts with the satrap of the occupying Japanese government. Sexual politics gives way to political horror during the Cultural Revolution, when personal betrayal may be the one way to stay alive. [source]