Movies
Read classic Chinese movie plots with pinyin, audio, and English translations. Immerse yourself in Chinese cinema while building your reading comprehension.
霸王别姬Bà Wáng Bié Jī
Farewell My Concubine (1993)
Directed by 陈凯歌 (Chén Kǎigē)
A sweeping epic about two Peking Opera performers whose lives unfold against the turbulent backdrop of 20th century China. This critically acclaimed film explores themes of art, love, betrayal, and identity through decades of political upheaval.
花样年华Huā Yàng Nián Huá
In the Mood for Love (2000)
Directed by 王家卫 (Wáng Jiāwèi)
A melancholic romance set in 1960s Hong Kong, where two neighbors discover their spouses are having an affair and form a deep emotional bond while trying not to make the same mistake.
卧虎藏龙Wò Hǔ Cáng Lóng
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Directed by 李安 (Lǐ Ān)
An epic martial arts adventure about a legendary warrior who entrusts his sword to his beloved, only for it to be stolen by a mysterious young noblewoman hiding extraordinary fighting skills.
大红灯笼高高挂Dà Hóng Dēnglóng Gāo Gāo Guà
Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
Directed by 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu)
A visually stunning drama about a young woman who becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord in 1920s China, navigating deadly rivalries and oppressive traditions within the household.
英雄Yīng Xióng
Hero (2002)
Directed by 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu)
A visually breathtaking martial arts epic set in ancient China, where a warrior tells the King of Qin the story of how he defeated three legendary assassins.
十面埋伏Shí Miàn Mái Fú
House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Directed by 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu)
A romantic martial arts film set during the Tang Dynasty, where a police captain falls for a blind dancer who may be connected to a rebel organization.
活着Huó Zhe
To Live (1994)
Directed by 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu)
An epic family saga spanning decades of Chinese history, following a couple as they endure the trials of the Civil War, Great Leap Forward, and Cultural Revolution.
重庆森林Chóngqìng Sēnlín
Chungking Express (1994)
Directed by 王家卫 (Wáng Jiāwèi)
Two separate stories of heartbroken Hong Kong cops and the quirky women who enter their lives, told with Wong Kar-wai's signature visual style.
英雄本色Yīng Xióng Běn Sè
A Better Tomorrow (1986)
Directed by 吴宇森 (Wú Yǔsēn)
A genre-defining Hong Kong action film about a former counterfeiter who tries to go straight while his brother becomes a cop and his partner seeks revenge.
无间道Wú Jiàn Dào
Infernal Affairs (2002)
Directed by 刘伟强 (Liú Wěiqiáng)
A gripping crime thriller about an undercover cop who infiltrates a triad gang while a triad member rises through police ranks, each trying to identify the other.
一代宗师Yī Dài Zōng Shī
The Grandmaster (2013)
Directed by 王家卫 (Wáng Jiāwèi)
An epic biography of Ip Man, the legendary martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee, set against the backdrop of early 20th century China.
饮食男女Yǐn Shí Nán Nǚ
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Directed by 李安 (Lǐ Ān)
A heartwarming family drama about a widowed master chef and his three adult daughters, centered around their weekly Sunday dinners.
悲情城市Bēi Qíng Chéng Shì
A City of Sadness (1989)
Directed by 侯孝贤 (Hóu Xiàoxián)
A sweeping historical drama about a Taiwanese family during the turbulent years following Japanese occupation and the arrival of the Nationalist government.
小城之春Xiǎo Chéng Zhī Chūn
Spring in a Small Town (1948)
Directed by 费穆 (Fèi Mù)
A poetic masterpiece of Chinese cinema about a woman trapped in a loveless marriage whose former lover returns to their small town, stirring buried emotions.
一个都不能少Yī Gè Dōu Bù Néng Shǎo
Not One Less (1999)
Directed by 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu)
A touching drama about a 13-year-old substitute teacher in rural China who travels to the city to find a student who has dropped out to work.
我的父亲母亲Wǒ De Fùqin Mǔqin
The Road Home (1999)
Directed by 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu)
A romantic drama told in flashback about a village woman's persistent love for a young teacher who comes to her remote community in 1950s China.
春光乍泄Chūn Guāng Zhà Xiè
Happy Together (1997)
Directed by 王家卫 (Wáng Jiāwèi)
A turbulent love story between two Hong Kong men who travel to Argentina, exploring themes of love, jealousy, and the search for home.
一一Yī Yī
Yi Yi (2000)
Directed by 杨德昌 (Yáng Déchāng)
An intimate portrait of a middle-class Taipei family, following three generations as they navigate relationships, career challenges, and life's meaning.
喋血双雄Dié Xuè Shuāng Xióng
The Killer (1989)
Directed by 吴宇森 (Wú Yǔsēn)
A stylish action film about a hitman who accidentally blinds a nightclub singer and takes one last job to pay for her cornea transplant.
三峡好人Sān Xiá Hǎo Rén
Still Life (2006)
Directed by 贾樟柯 (Jiǎ Zhāngkē)
Two parallel stories of people searching for their spouses in a town being demolished for the Three Gorges Dam, a meditation on displacement and change.
大话西游之大圣娶亲Dà Huà Xī Yóu Zhī Dà Shèng Qǔ Qīn
A Chinese Odyssey Part 2: Cinderella (1995)
Directed by 刘镇伟 (Liú Zhènwěi)
The beloved conclusion to the comedic fantasy where the Monkey King must choose between love and his destiny to protect the monk on the journey to the West.
末代皇帝Mò Dài Huáng Dì
The Last Emperor (1987)
Directed by 贝纳尔多·贝托鲁奇 (Bèinàěrduō Bèituōlǔqí)
The epic biography of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, from his ascent to the throne as a child to his later years as a common citizen under Communist rule.
我不是药神Wǒ Bú Shì Yào Shén
Dying to Survive (2018)
Directed by 文牧野 (Wén Mùyě)
Based on a true story, a struggling shop owner becomes an unlikely hero when he starts smuggling affordable leukemia medicine from India for desperate patients.
鬼子来了Guǐzi Lái Le
Devils on the Doorstep (2000)
Directed by 姜文 (Jiāng Wén)
A darkly comic wartime drama about Chinese villagers who are forced to hide Japanese prisoners during World War II, exploring themes of humanity and absurdity.
让子弹飞Ràng Zǐdàn Fēi
Let the Bullets Fly (2010)
Directed by 姜文 (Jiāng Wén)
A witty action comedy set in 1920s China where a bandit leader poses as a governor and engages in a battle of wits with the local crime boss.
大话西游之月光宝盒Dà Huà Xī Yóu Zhī Yuè Guāng Bǎo Hé
A Chinese Odyssey Part 1: Pandora's Box (1995)
Directed by 刘镇伟 (Liú Zhènwěi)
A comedic fantasy retelling of Journey to the West, where the Monkey King is reincarnated as a bandit leader who must travel through time to save his love.
大闹天宫Dà Nào Tiān Gōng
The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven (1961)
Directed by 万籁鸣 (Wàn Làimíng)
A groundbreaking animated classic depicting the Monkey King's rebellion against the Jade Emperor, featuring stunning traditional Chinese art and mythology.
功夫Gōng Fu
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Directed by 周星驰 (Zhōu Xīngchí)
A wildly inventive martial arts comedy about a wannabe gangster who stumbles into a slum filled with kung fu masters hiding from the notorious Axe Gang.
喜剧之王Xǐ Jù Zhī Wáng
King of Comedy (1999)
Directed by 周星驰 (Zhōu Xīngchí)
A touching comedy about a struggling actor who takes method acting to extremes while falling for a jaded nightclub hostess, exploring dreams and perseverance.
唐伯虎点秋香Táng Bóhǔ Diǎn Qiū Xiāng
Flirting Scholar (1993)
Directed by 李力持 (Lǐ Lìchí)
A hilarious period comedy about the legendary scholar Tang Bohu who disguises himself as a servant to win the heart of a beautiful maid in a wealthy household.