Hibiscus Town

Based on Gu Hua's novel of the same name, Hibiscus Town is a melodrama set during China's Cultural Revolution. It follows Hu Yuyin, a young woman in the small town of Furong, whose life is upended by the political upheavals of the era. After her former husband, a small trader, is driven to take his own life, she is reduced to sweeping the streets. She finds companionship with Qin Shutian, a man branded a rightist, and their relationship brings further trouble: he is imprisoned, and both must endure a great deal before justice is restored and they can find ordinary happiness together.

Xie Jin directed the film, which he also co-wrote with Cheng A. It was released in March 1987, running 164 minutes, and came after Wreaths at the Foot of the Mountain in his filmography, followed later by The Opium War. Liu Xiaoqing stars as Hu Yuyin and Jiang Wen as Qin Shutian, with supporting turns from Zheng Zaishi, Zhu Shibin, Xu Songzi and Zhang Guangbei. Tang Lixuan produced for Shanghai Film Studio.

The film holds an 8.2 rating on IMDb from roughly 1,700 votes and an 8 on TMDB from a much smaller group of users, indicating that strong regard for it is widespread among the viewers who have recorded a rating.