Author Archives: Rujie Wang

Happy Together, directed by Wang Kar-wai, Hong Kong, 1999 Ho Po-winga British national living in Hong Kong; a gay man in his mid 30s; travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina with his boy friend; lives the precarious life of a male gigolo; … Continue reading →

“Getting Home” (luo ye gui gen: fallen leaves return to roots) directed by Zhang Yang, 2007, China Lao Zhao, Originally a peasant in his 50s from northern China, Lao Zhao came a long way to Shenzheng, a special and prosperous … Continue reading →

Pretty Big Feet, directed by Yang Yazhou, 1996, China Zhang Meili (“pretty”), name embarrasses her because she has big feet that traditional Chinese men who are used to seeing women in bond feet consider ugly; lives in a rural area … Continue reading →

Farewell My Concubine, directed by Chen Kaige, China, 1994 Cheng Dieyi: mother a prostitute who gives him up as a child to a Peking Opera troupe that trains brutally to play the role of the legendary concubine to the King … Continue reading →

Ermo, directed by Zhou Xiaowen, China 1994 Ermo, a peasant, industrious and self-assertive; married with one son; sexually frustrated because husband is impotent for years; feels unwanted and becomes passionate about money, in the era of reforms (1980s-90s), the going … Continue reading →

Eat Drink Man Woman, directed by Ang Lee, Taiwan, 1994 A line taken from the Classical Text by Mencius: “It is human nature to want food and sex.” 中文分析 Mr. Chu, a widower for 16 years living with his three … Continue reading →