Reflections on the 1948 film 'Sorrows of the Forbidden City'

Ok, I managed to watch the 1948 film 'Sorrows of the Forbidden City' online. It was quite a good adaptation considering the fact that it was made 60 years ago. The actress in leading role, Consort Zhen, was played by Zhouxuan, one of the most famous Chinese actresses and singers of all times. Despite the simplified settings and plot, the only defect I could find in the film is that it beautified the character of Consort Zhen in boasting her as a sort of national hero. She was shown more determined and patriotic than her husband, Guangxu Emperor. That in the end, she declined the offer by Empress Dowager Cixi of taking her with them to flee and finally jumped into the well herself by Cixi's order. Such a scene is really artificial. From historical records and my own intepretations, Consort Zhen, though a worthy woman in terms of her independent and amiable character, is far from being perfection and even further from a 'national martyr' like Qiujin (a feminist as well as revolutionist during Guangxu era) as being depicted in the film. In history, Consort Zhen also used to practice corruption by selling official posts to illiterate men only to earn her own spendings, which much resembled what her mother-in-law Cixi did, though on a much smaller scale. However, she shouldn't be blamed too much on this issue as the whole court was thoroughly corrupt. (for instance, Guangxu Emperor also had his own bank account in order bribe eunuchs in court for sending them on errands)

The most authoritative version of death of Consort Zhen goes like this: Before fleeing Beijing in 1900, Cixi ordered Consort Zhen, who had been confined in the cold palace for two years come to see her. By that time, she already had the intention of killing her. Cixi said to Consort Zhen, 'We are getting out of Beijing to take refugee for some time as the foreign devils are coming. However, it's not convenient for you to come with us as you are young and pretty, thus likely to be raped by foreign soldiers and humiliate the ancestors.' Consort Zhen knew that Cixi want her to die. She defied by saying, 'Your Majesty can go but the Emperor should stay in Beijing to negotiate with the foreigners.' Cixi became irritated and ordered eunuchs to push her into well. On her way to death, Consort Zhen still yelled, 'I'm not willing to die! The Emperor didn't order me to die! ' Before being thrown into the deep, small well, it is said that her last words were, ' We shall meet again in the other world, YOUR MAJESTY(Guangxu Emperor)! ' This version, though less patriotic, is undoubtedly more real and thus more touching.

But I like this film as a whole. It depicted the Boxers' Rebellion objectively, condemning it as a mob uprising based on extremist nationalism and superstitions, then used by Machiavellian politicians. For the Communist depiction today still glorifies the massacre done by the Boxers.(The main reason why the film was banned soon after the founding of PRC) I also like the assumption that Cixi lured Guangxu Emperor onto the carriage, cheating him that Consort Zhen had been persuaded to go with them. For many adaptations today show that Guangxu was present when his beloved concubine was forced to die, leaving an impression on the audience that the Emperor was a coward. In history, Guangxu Emperor learnt of the death of Consort Zhen only on his way to Xi'an, which devastated him immediately.

We should really remake this wonderful story for the new generation as well as audience around the world. Chinese films do not lack good materials, for China had such a long history full of intriguing stories. The only thing the directors and screenplay writers have to do is to discover and interpret them in a proper way.