The University of British Columbia
UBC - A Place of Mind
The University of British Columbia Vancouver campus
Chinese Film Classics
     
  • Home
  • The Chinese Film Classics Project
    • Acknowledgments
    • For Educators
    • Contribute
  • Directory of Early Chinese Films
  • Chinese Film Classics Course
    • About the Course
    • Module 1: Laborer’s Love (1922)
    • Module 2: Sports Queen (1934)
    • Module 3: Goddess (1934)
    • Module 4: The Great Road (1934)
    • Module 5: New Women (1935)
    • Module 6: Song at Midnight (1937)
    • Module 7: Street Angels (1937)
    • Module 8: Long Live the Missus! (1947)
    • Module 9: Spring River Flows East (1947)
    • Module 10: Spring in a Small Town (1948)
    • Module 11: Crows and Sparrows (1949)
    • Module 12: Course Wrap-Up
  • Book
  • Resources on Early Chinese Cinema

The Peach Girl 桃花泣血記 (1931)

The film:

Taohua qixue ji
Original English title: The Peach Girl
Literal translation of Chinese title: Peach Blossoms Weep Tears of Blood
Director: Richard Poh (Bu Wancang)
Studio: United Photoplay Services (Lianhua)
Year of release: 1931
89 minutes (see note below)
Cast: Ruan Lingyu, Jin Yan, Li Shiyuan, Wang Guilin, Zhou Lili, Li Yanzhu, Han Langen, Liu Jiqun, Huang Junzhen, Xing Shaomei

Ruan Lingyu (Lily Yuen) co-stars with Jin Yan (Raymond King) in this silent film about a young couple whose love is thwarted by the class divide. The son of a rich landowning family and the daughter of a herder who works for them are friends as children. As they grow up, the boy’s mother insists that he stop socializing with poor village kids, but the childhood friendship blossoms into romance. As polemic, the film indicts class snobbery; as a star vehicle, it offers fantastic shots of its charismatic lead actors. Lianhua (UPS) studio even threw in a couple action scenes–brawls that appear inspired by the recent wuxia (martial arts) craze.

The film contains original Chinese-English bilingual title cards. The Chinese text has been translated when its meaning differs significantly from the English.
The duration of the title card that appears at minute 10:43 has been extended slightly for legibility.
English subtitles translated by Christopher Rea

Learn more

Watch other films directed by Richard Poh (Bu Wancang):

  • Hua Mu Lan (1939)

Watch other films starring Jin Yan:

  • The Great Road (1934)

Watch other films starring Ruan Lingyu:

  • Playthings (1933)
  • Goddess (1934)
  • New Women (1935)

Related Posts


Jin Yan 金焰
Jin Yan, also known as Raymond King, was a Korea-born actor who starred in many silent films produced by Lianhua Studio

Jin Yan Dianying zazhi no 4

Ruan Lingyu 阮玲玉
Ruan Lingyu is one of the most iconic actors of China's silent cinema age.

Ruan Lingyu photo in New Women 1935

Jin Yan (2009), by Richard J. Meyer
Jin Yan: The Rudolph Valentino of Shanghai tells the remarkable story of the “Emperor of Film,” who dominated the golden age of Chinese silent movies. Jin Yan achieved his greatest stardom in the 1930s, when women literally threw themselves at his feet.

Jin Yan 2009 by Richard J Meyer

Ruan Ling-Yu (2005), by Richard J. Meyer
Ruan Ling-yu: The Goddess of Shanghai tells the story of one of the greatest Chinese movie stars of the silent era from humble origins to tragic death at the height of her career.

Ruan Ling-Yu 2005 by Richard J Meyer

New Women 新女性 (1935)
A contemporary social drama about “the woman question.” What are women’s lives like in China today? And what should they be?

New Women 1935

Goddess 神女 (1934)
Ruan Lingyu stars as a single mother in Shanghai struggling to give her young son an education, in the face of exploitation and social prejudice.

Goddess 1934

Playthings 小玩意 (1933)
Artisan toymakers struggling to survive amidst war and competition from big business.

Playthings 1933

Wild Rose 野玫瑰 (1932)
A vivacious country lass and a rich Shanghai boy fall in love. What will happen to young love when an uninhibited girl meets urban high society?

Wild Rose 1932

Love and Duty 戀愛與義務 (1931)
A romantic melodrama with paternalistic overtones, Love and Duty was the first Lianhua film to showcase the chemistry between Ruan Lingyu and Jin Yan.

Love and Duty 1931

Poor Daddy 怕老婆 (1929)
Poor Daddy (1929) is a slapstick silent comedy starring Liu Jiqun

Poor Daddy 1929

Youtube icon
Subscribe to the Modern Chinese YouTube Channel
© Christopher Rea
Vancouver Campus
,
Back to top
The University of British Columbia
  • Emergency Procedures |
  • Terms of Use |
  • Copyright |
  • Accessibility