100 Greatest Chinese Films of the 20th Century

as chosen by Asia Weekly Magazine

"The latest issue (December 19, 1999) of Asia Weekly [Yazhou Zhoukan] selected the "100 Strongest Chinese Films of the 20th Century". The magazine consulted with 7 film experts from two shores and three locations (Beijing Film Academy professor Huang Shixian, Guangzhou Sun Yat Sen University professor Li Yizhuang, Taipei National Film Archive chief Edmond Wong (Huang Jianye), Taiwan veteran film critic Liang Liang, Hong Kong International Film Festival planner and experienced film culture professional Law Kar, Hong Kong Film Critics Society chair Freddie Wong and Hong Kong veteran film critic Reeve Wong) to come up with the list."

The original list is here (big-5 encoded), as published in Chinese at Asia Weekly's website. My translation is below: with English title, pinyin title, date of release, director, and city of production, divided by decade.

And, finally, here is my own list of 10 Best Chinese films of the 90s, as published in Cinemascope's exhaustive "Best of the 90s list compendium, winter 1999. 


-- thanks to Jerry Chan's SAR (HK) Film Top Ten B.O. Page for initially bringing this to my attention, and for the translation of the first paragraph; and thanks to Dave Cheung for the Chinese text link.


 
 

Labourer's Love (aka Cheng the Fruit Seller) Laogong aiqing 1923 Zhang Shichuan Shanghai
Little Toys Xiao wanyi 1933 Sun Yu Shanghai
Spring Silkworms Chuncan 1933 Cheng Bugao Shanghai
Twin Sisters Zimei hua 1934 Zheng Zhengqiu Shanghai
The Goddess Shennu 1934 Wu Yonggang Shanghai
Song of the Fisherman Yu guang qu 1934 Cai Chusheng Shanghai
The Highway (aka The Big Road) Dalu 1935 Sun Yu Shanghai
Crossroads Shizi jietou 1937 Shen Xiling Shanghai
Song at Midnight Yeban gesheng 1937 Ma Xu Weibang Shanghai
Street Angel Malu tianshi 1937 Yuan Muzhi Shanghai
Orphan Island Paradise Gudao tiantang 1938 Cai Chusheng Hong Kong
A Spring River Flows East Yi jiang chunshui xiang dong liu 1947 Cai Chusheng, Zheng Junli Shanghai
Eight Thousand Li of Cloud and Moon Ba qian li lu yun he yue 1947 Shi Dongshan Shanghai
Long Live the Mistress! Taitai wansui 1947 Sang Hu Shanghai
Spring in a Small Town Xiao cheng zhi chun 1948 Fei Mu Shanghai
Myriad of Lights (aka The Lights of Ten Thousand Homes) Wanjia denghuo 1948 Shen Fu Shanghai
An Orphan on the Streets (aka The Winter of Three Hairs) San Mao liulang ji 1949 Zhao Ming Shanghai
Crows and Sparrows Wuya yu maque 1949 Zheng Junli Shanghai
Tears over the Pearl River Zhujiang lei 1949 Wang Weiyi Hong Kong
Sorrows of the Forbidden City Qing gong mishi 1949 Zhu Shilin Hong Kong
This Life of Mine Wo zhe yibeizi 1950 Shi Hui Shanghai
The Life of Wu Xun Wu Xun zhuan 1950 Sun Yu Shanghai
The Dividing Wall (aka Mr. Chen vs Mr. Chen) Yi ban zhi ge 1953 Zhu Shilin Hong Kong
Spoiling the Wedding Day Wu Jiaqi 1953 Zhu Shilin Hong Kong
In the Face of Demolition Weilou chunxiao 1954 Lee Tit Hong Kong
Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai 1954 Sang Hu, Hu Sha Shanghai
New Year's Sacrifice Zhufu 1956 Sang Hu Beijing
Our Sister Hedy Si qianjin 1958 Tao Qin Hong Kong
Mambo Girl Manbo guniang 1958 Yi Wen Hong Kong
Feast of a Rich Family(aka The Grand Party) Haomen yeyan 1958 Lee Tit, Luo Zhixiong, Li Chenfeng, Wu Hui Hong Kong
Lin Zexu Lin Zexu 1959 Zheng Junli, Qin Fan Shanghai
The Lin Family Shop Lin jia puzi 1959 Shui Hua Beijing
The Wild, Wild Rose Ye meigui zhi lian 1960 Wong Tin-lam Hong Kong
Third Sister Liu Liu Sanjie 1960 Su Li Changchun
Uproar in Heaven Da'nao tiangong 1961 Wan Laiming Shanghai
All These Pitiable Parents (aka The Great Devotion)  Kelian tianxia fumu xin 1961 Chor Yuen Hong Kong
Red Detachment of Women Hongse niangzi jun 1961 Xie Jin Shanghai
Naval Battle of 1894 Jiawu fengyun 1963 Lin Nong Changchun
The House of Seventy-Two Tenants Qishier jia fangke 1963 Wang Weiyi Guangzhou
Early Spring in February Zaochun eryue 1963 Xie Tieli Beijing
Serfs Nongnu 1963 Li Jun Beijing
Beautiful Duckling  Yangya renjia 1964 Lee Hsing Taipei
Stage Sisters Wutai jiemei 1965 Xie Jin Shanghai
One-Armed Swordsman Dubi dao 1967 Chang Cheh Hong Kong
The Dawn  Poxiao shifen 1967 Song Cunshou Taipei
Dragon Gate Inn Longmen kezhan 1967 King Hu Taipei
The Winter  Dong nuan 1969 Li Han-hsiang Taipei
A Touch of Zen Xia nu 1970 King Hu Taipei
Home, Sweet Home Jia zai Taibei 1970 Pai Ching-jui Taipei
The Arch Dong furen 1970 Tang Shuxuan Hong Kong
Fist of Fury Jingwu men 1972 Lo Wei Hong Kong
China Behind Zaijian, Zhongguo 1974 Tang Shuxuan Taipei
Martyrs Yinglie qianqiu 1974 Ting Shan-hsi Taipei
The Private Eyes Banjin baliang 1976 Michael Hui Hong Kong
36th Chamber of Shaolin Shaolin sanshiliu fang 1978 Lau Kar-leong Hong Kong
The Secret Fengjie 1979 Ann Hui Hong Kong
The Butterfly Murders Diebian 1979 Tsui Hark Hong Kong
The Legend of Tianyun Mountain Tianyunshan chuanqi 1980 Xie Jin Shanghai
Man on the Brink Bianyuan ren 1981 Alex Cheung Kwok-ming Hong Kong
Father and Son Fuzi qing 1981 Allen Fong Hong Kong
The Corner Forsaken By Love Bei aiqing yiwang de jiaoluo 1981 Zhang Qi, Li Yalin Chengdu
In Our Time Guangyin de gushi 1982 Tao Dechen, Edward Yang, Ko Yi-cheng, Chang Yi Taipei
Boat People Touben nuhai 1982 Ann Hui Hong Kong
My Memories of Old Beijing Chengnan jiushi 1982 Wu Yigong Shanghai
Project A A jihua 1982 Jackie Chan Hong Kong
Ah Ying Banbian ren 1983 Allen Fong Hong Kong
One and Eight  Yige he bage 1983 Zhang Junzhao Nanning
Growing Up Xiaoabi de gushi 1983 Chen Kun-hou Taipei
Sandwich Man Erzi de da wan'ou 1983 Hou Hsiao-hsien, Tseng Chuang-hsiang, Wan Jen Taipei
Summer at Grandpa's Dongdong de jiaqi 1984 Hou Hsiao-hsien Taipei
Lao Mo's Second Spring Lao Mo de di erge chuntian 1984 Li Youning Taipei
Homecoming Si shui liu nian 1984 Yim Ho Beijing
Long Arm of the Law Shenggang qibing 1984 Johnny Mak Hong Kong
Yellow Earth Huang tudi 1984 Chen Kaige Nanning
A Time To Live and a Time To Die Tongnian wangshi 1985 Hou Hsiao-hsien Taipei
The Black Cannon Incident  Hei pao shijian 1985 Huang Jianxin Xian
In the Wild Mountain Yeshan 1985 Yan Xueshu Xian
A Better Tomorrow Yingxiong bense 1986 John Woo Hong Kong
Terrorizer Kongbu fenzi 1986 Edward Yang Taipei
Horse Thief Dao ma zei 1986 Tian Zhuangzhuang Beijing
The Old Well Lao jing 1987 Wu Tianming Xian
Red Sorghum Hong gaoliang 1987 Zhang Yimou Xian
A Chinese Ghost Story Qiannu youhun 1987 Ching Siu-tung Hong Kong
City on Fire Long hu fengyun 1987 Ringo Lam Hong Kong
As Tears Go By Wangjiao kamen 1988 Wong Kar-wai Hong Kong
Rouge Yanzhi kou 1988 Stanley Kwan Hong Kong
City of Sadness Beiqing chengshi 1989 Hou Hsiao-hsien Taipei
The Swordsman in Double Flag Town Shuangzizhen daoke 1991 He Ping Xian
Actress(aka Centre Stage) Ruan Lingyu 1991 Stanley Kwan Hong Kong
A Brighter Summer Day Gulingjie shaonian sharen shijian 1991 Edward Yang Taipei
Pushing Hands Tuishou 1991 Ang Lee Taipei
The Story of Qiu Ju Qiu Ju da guansi 1992 Zhang Yimou Beijing
Farewell My Concubine Bawang bieji 1993 Chen Kaige Hong Kong
The Wedding Banquet Xiyan 1993 Ang Lee Taipei
For Fun Zhaole 1993 Ning Ying Beijing
Back to Back, Face to Face Beikaobei, lianduilian 1994 Huang Jianxin Xian
In the Heat of the Sun Yangguang canlan de rizi 1994 Jiang Wen Beijing
Chungking Express Chongqing senlin 1994 Wong Kar-wai Hong Kong
Comrades Almost a Love Story Tian mimi 1996 Peter Chan Hong Kong
Made in Hong Kong Xianggang zhizao 1997 Fruit Chan Hong Kong


My own list of 10 Best Chinese films of the 90s, as published in Cinemascope's exhaustive "Best of the 90s list compendium, winter 1999.


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