In 1930s Suzhou, the fifth wife of an opium-addicted aristocrat, her husband's female cousin, and a handsome instructor develop an intense relationship.

In a beautiful pavilion in 1930's Suzhou. Cui Hua (Rie Miyazawa, 47 Ronin) is a famous songstress courtesan, marrying into the noble house. She develops a dubious relationship with a female cousin of the family and also being admired secretly by her butler. Rong Lan (Joey Wang, A Chinese Ghost Story Series), the cousin, is a modern strict and nice teacher who wants to be independent and serves her country, but when she meets the charismatic Xing Zhi Gang (Daniel Wu, New Police Story), an official from the North, all her plans go astray, But these two women's love bears no fruit with their men and in the end they have only each other to lean on.

PEONY PAVILION could only be a Yonfan picture, and arguably 2001's boldest production, incorporating passages of traditional Kunqu opera into a lush romantic story featuring superstars from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. Yonfan's movies have a thematic consistency in their depiction of idealized love that is fleetingly found and then irrevocably lost. PEONY PAVILION is no exception, taking place in 1930s Suzhou and centering on the intense relationships between the fifth wife of an opium-addicted aristocrat "Rie Miyazawa", her husband's female cousin "Joey WANG", and a handsome instructor "Daniel Wu" who himself learns a few things in the process.—Far Sun Film Co Ltd