''Zhuangzi Tests His Wife'' ( zh, t=莊子試妻, p=Zhuangzi shi qi) is a 1913 Hong Kong drama film directed by

Li Minwei Lai Man-wai (; September 25, 1893 – October 26, 1953), also romanised as Lay Min-wei or M.W. Ray, considered the "Father of Hong Kong Cinema", was the director of the first Hong Kong film '' Zhuangzi Tests His Wife'' in 1913. In the film, Lai ...

. It is the earliest feature film of Hong Kong cinema, and the only film made by the Huamei (Chinese-American) Studio, which was co-founded by Benjamin Brosky, who had sold his

Asia Film Company The Asia Film Company was the first film production company in China. History The Asia Film Company was established in Shanghai in 1909 by Russian born Jewish American businessman Benjamin Brosky (1877-1960), and was the first company to produce d ...

in Shanghai, and Li Minwei. The film was never screened in Hong Kong. Brosky brought the film to the United States, and it became the first Chinese film to be shown abroad when it was exhibited in the Chinese communities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. It is based on the zidishu play "The Butterfly Dream" written by Chunshuzhai.

Cast

Li Minwei stars as the wife of Zhuangzi, and Li Minwei's wife Yan Shanshan (1896–1951) became the first Chinese film actress, playing a servant girl. * Li Beihai ... Zhuangzi *

... Zhuangzi's wife * Yan Shanshan ... Servant Girl

Background

Fourth century BCE Zhuangzi (or Zhuang Zhou), one of the two defining figures of Chinese

Taoism Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ' ...

, based his philosophy on all things changing, and the perception of truth depending on the context under which it exists. Throughout history, his teachings have been particularly favored by Chinese scholars and artists, many of whom were inspired by Zhuangzi's philosophy.

Plot

In other media

{{Unreferenced section, date=August 2022 Operatic versions of ''Zhuangzi Tests His Wife'' have been performed on stage by the

Peking Opera Peking opera, or Beijing opera (), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines instrumental music, vocal performance, mime, martial arts, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became ...

and others.

Most operatic versions end with Zhuangzi burying his wife after she commits

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

for being disloyal to her husband. But this version tackles the story from a different angle. While Tian Shi still ultimately kills herself, Zhuangzi turns her and himself into butterflies and then, eventually, into dust.

References

External links

Zhuangzi Tests His Wife
at

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