海上花

• Drama

At the end of the 19th century, Shanghai is divided into several foreign concessions. In the British concession, a number of luxurious “flower houses” are reserved for the male elite of the city. Since Chinese dignitaries are not allowed to frequent brothels, these establishments are the only ones that these men can visit. They form a self-contained world, with its own rites, traditions and even its own language. The men don’t only visit the houses to frequent the courtesans but also to dine, smoke opium, play mahjong and relax. The women working there are known as the “flowers of Shanghai”.

Flowers of Shanghai is a 1998 drama film set in 19th-century Shanghai, exploring the insular world of exclusive courtesans' houses in the British concession. Director Hou Hsiao-hsien examines the rituals, relationships, and hidden hierarchies within these establishments, where China's elite gather to dine, socialize, and escape the outside world. The film is a meditative portrait of desire, tradition, and the women navigating this closed society.

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