Li Han-Hsiang

Directing

Li Han-Hsiang

Born — Died

1926-04-23 — 1996-12-17

Place of birth

中国, 辽宁

Known for

Directing

Credits

48 titles

Richard Li Han Hsiang (Chinese: 李翰祥; pinyin: Lǐ Hànxiáng; 7 March 1926 in Jinxi, Liaoning - 17 December 1996 in Beijing) was a Chinese film director. Li directed more than 70 films in his career beginning in the 1950s and lasting till the 1990s. His The Enchanting Shadow, The Magnificent Concubine, and Empress Wu Tse-Tien were entered into the Cannes Film Festival in 1960, 1962, and 1963 respectively. Li also won the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards for his work on the movie Xi Shi in 1965. Most of his movies in the 1970s and 1980s were Chinese historical dramas. He died in Beijing due to a heart attack. He was seventy.

Known for

Golden Horse Awards poster
9.0

The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards (Chinese: 台北金馬影展; pinyin: Táiběi Jīnmǎ Yǐngzhǎn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak Kim-má iáⁿ-tián) is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962 by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan. The awards ceremony is usually held in November or December in Taipei, although the event has also been held in other locations in Taiwan in recent times

Golden Horse Awards

1962

The Golden Lotus poster
7.0

Golden Lotus is based, in part, on Jin Ping Mei, a famous erotic novel of ancient China. Li Han-Hsiang adapted part of the story into this film, which starts with Hsi Men Ching, a successful merchant, wooing Pan Chin Lien, the beautiful wife of one of the townspeople.

The Golden Lotus

1974

The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire poster
6.6

A corrupt local official, Xi Men Qing, who lusts after women and money, pursues his brother's young wife, Lee Ping Er. Ping finds Men attractive, and under her drunken husband's nose, she and Men work their way through the illustrations of a pillow book, the "Golden Lotus." Men pursues the same feat with his fourth concubine, Pan Jing Lien, who lives in the compound next to Ping. Jing's jealousy compounds a tale of humiliation, childbirth, death, and depravity. Does karma or enlightenment await anyone?

The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire

1991

The Adventure of the 13th Sister poster
NR

A Shaw Brothers film from 1959

The Adventure of the 13th Sister

1959

Reign Behind a Curtain poster
7.4

No synopsis available yet.

Reign Behind a Curtain

1983

Madame Bamboo poster
4.2

Sin Pal and Hei Sin Lam star in this erotically charged film about two women who are both driven into a life of prostitution but for very different reasons. The first story involves a husband who punishes his wife for cheating; in the other story, a teenager must escape a strange betrothal to an 8-year-old boy.

Madame Bamboo

1991

Film credits

Series credits

Behind the camera

The Golden Lotus poster
7.0

Golden Lotus is based, in part, on Jin Ping Mei, a famous erotic novel of ancient China. Li Han-Hsiang adapted part of the story into this film, which starts with Hsi Men Ching, a successful merchant, wooing Pan Chin Lien, the beautiful wife of one of the townspeople.

The Golden Lotus

1974

The Golden Lotus poster
7.0

Golden Lotus is based, in part, on Jin Ping Mei, a famous erotic novel of ancient China. Li Han-Hsiang adapted part of the story into this film, which starts with Hsi Men Ching, a successful merchant, wooing Pan Chin Lien, the beautiful wife of one of the townspeople.

The Golden Lotus

1974

The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire poster
6.6

A corrupt local official, Xi Men Qing, who lusts after women and money, pursues his brother's young wife, Lee Ping Er. Ping finds Men attractive, and under her drunken husband's nose, she and Men work their way through the illustrations of a pillow book, the "Golden Lotus." Men pursues the same feat with his fourth concubine, Pan Jing Lien, who lives in the compound next to Ping. Jing's jealousy compounds a tale of humiliation, childbirth, death, and depravity. Does karma or enlightenment await anyone?

The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire

1991

The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire poster
6.6

A corrupt local official, Xi Men Qing, who lusts after women and money, pursues his brother's young wife, Lee Ping Er. Ping finds Men attractive, and under her drunken husband's nose, she and Men work their way through the illustrations of a pillow book, the "Golden Lotus." Men pursues the same feat with his fourth concubine, Pan Jing Lien, who lives in the compound next to Ping. Jing's jealousy compounds a tale of humiliation, childbirth, death, and depravity. Does karma or enlightenment await anyone?

The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire

1991

The Adventure of the 13th Sister poster
NR

A Shaw Brothers film from 1959

The Adventure of the 13th Sister

1959

Reign Behind a Curtain poster
7.4

No synopsis available yet.

Reign Behind a Curtain

1983

Reign Behind a Curtain poster
7.4

No synopsis available yet.

Reign Behind a Curtain

1983

Madame Bamboo poster
4.2

Sin Pal and Hei Sin Lam star in this erotically charged film about two women who are both driven into a life of prostitution but for very different reasons. The first story involves a husband who punishes his wife for cheating; in the other story, a teenager must escape a strange betrothal to an 8-year-old boy.

Madame Bamboo

1991

Madame Bamboo poster
4.2

Sin Pal and Hei Sin Lam star in this erotically charged film about two women who are both driven into a life of prostitution but for very different reasons. The first story involves a husband who punishes his wife for cheating; in the other story, a teenager must escape a strange betrothal to an 8-year-old boy.

Madame Bamboo

1991

The Amorous Lotus Pan poster
5.6

Helmed by the aesthetic Li Han-hsiang, The Amorous Lotus Pan features former Blue Jeans band member Shan Li-wen in a dual role as Wu Sung and Hsimen Ching. The reverse narrative tells the story of Wu Sung, who was pardoned from prison and seek the libidinous Pan Chin-lien (Huang Mei-tsing) to avenge his brother's death. The remorseful Pan recounted her pathetic life, which began when she was traded to the rich Changs as a maid. But she was raped by her master and flirted with Hsimen Ching and other gentleman callers

The Amorous Lotus Pan

1994

The Amorous Lotus Pan poster
5.6

Helmed by the aesthetic Li Han-hsiang, The Amorous Lotus Pan features former Blue Jeans band member Shan Li-wen in a dual role as Wu Sung and Hsimen Ching. The reverse narrative tells the story of Wu Sung, who was pardoned from prison and seek the libidinous Pan Chin-lien (Huang Mei-tsing) to avenge his brother's death. The remorseful Pan recounted her pathetic life, which began when she was traded to the rich Changs as a maid. But she was raped by her master and flirted with Hsimen Ching and other gentleman callers

The Amorous Lotus Pan

1994

The Burning of the Imperial Palace poster
6.6

Dramatization of events from the Second Opium War which culminated in the looting and destruction of imperial estate "Yuan Ming Yuan", AKA the Old Summer Palace by invading English and French troops.

The Burning of the Imperial Palace

1983

The Burning of the Imperial Palace poster
6.6

Dramatization of events from the Second Opium War which culminated in the looting and destruction of imperial estate "Yuan Ming Yuan", AKA the Old Summer Palace by invading English and French troops.

The Burning of the Imperial Palace

1983

The Burning of the Imperial Palace poster
6.6

Dramatization of events from the Second Opium War which culminated in the looting and destruction of imperial estate "Yuan Ming Yuan", AKA the Old Summer Palace by invading English and French troops.

The Burning of the Imperial Palace

1983

Illicit Desire poster
5.6

Tang Dynasty emperors, Ming Dynasty scholars, assorted fortunetellers, and several Buddhist monks figure in a trio of erotic and mystical Chinese legends.

Illicit Desire

1973

Illicit Desire poster
5.6

Tang Dynasty emperors, Ming Dynasty scholars, assorted fortunetellers, and several Buddhist monks figure in a trio of erotic and mystical Chinese legends.

Illicit Desire

1973

The Dream of the Red Chamber poster
6.6

Pao-yu is in love with his cousin, Lin Tai-yu, but his family has other marital plans for him that will leave both broken-hearted.

The Dream of the Red Chamber

1977

The Dream of the Red Chamber poster
6.6

Pao-yu is in love with his cousin, Lin Tai-yu, but his family has other marital plans for him that will leave both broken-hearted.

The Dream of the Red Chamber

1977

Love Letter Murder poster
8.0

Early Shaw Brothers crime film

Love Letter Murder

1959

The Adventures of Emperor Chien Lung poster
7.5

Emperor Chien Lung uses disguises to experience life among his subjects.

The Adventures of Emperor Chien Lung

1977

The Adventures of Emperor Chien Lung poster
7.5

Emperor Chien Lung uses disguises to experience life among his subjects.

The Adventures of Emperor Chien Lung

1977

The Empress Dowager poster
8.0

This dragon lady of the Ching Dynasty was the power behind the throne for 50 years, and hew vast tapestry of palace intrigues is vividly brought to the screen in this memorable epic.

The Empress Dowager

1975

The Empress Dowager poster
8.0

This dragon lady of the Ching Dynasty was the power behind the throne for 50 years, and hew vast tapestry of palace intrigues is vividly brought to the screen in this memorable epic.

The Empress Dowager

1975

The Voyage of Emperor Chien Lung poster
7.1

In the 18th century, Emperor Chien Lung makes a journey into Southern China.

The Voyage of Emperor Chien Lung

1978

The Voyage of Emperor Chien Lung poster
7.1

In the 18th century, Emperor Chien Lung makes a journey into Southern China.

The Voyage of Emperor Chien Lung

1978

The Last Tempest poster
6.4

Despite Kuang Hsu's enthronement as the last reigning Emperor of China, his ability to rule effectively is overshadowed by the ever-present power of the Dowager Empress.

The Last Tempest

1976

The Last Tempest poster
6.4

Despite Kuang Hsu's enthronement as the last reigning Emperor of China, his ability to rule effectively is overshadowed by the ever-present power of the Dowager Empress.

The Last Tempest

1976

Moods of Love poster
4.7

Two stories are included in this erotic/romantic anthology. In the first, a Sung-Dynasty (10th-13th century) Buddhist monk is tricked into sexual relations with an unscrupulous female adventurer. He dies soon after with his misdeed on his conscience. In the second, the daughter of a woman who died in a brothel discovers that her mother died an unnatural death and seeks revenge.

Moods of Love

1977

Moods of Love poster
4.7

Two stories are included in this erotic/romantic anthology. In the first, a Sung-Dynasty (10th-13th century) Buddhist monk is tricked into sexual relations with an unscrupulous female adventurer. He dies soon after with his misdeed on his conscience. In the second, the daughter of a woman who died in a brothel discovers that her mother died an unnatural death and seeks revenge.

Moods of Love

1977

Diau Charn poster
9.0

Based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Diau Charn is a sublime retelling of a familiar tale with iconic actress Linda Lin Dai (Lam Doi) in the titular role of Diau Charn, one of the four storied beauties of ancient China.

Diau Charn

1958

Reminiscence poster
NR

The period musical shot in 1970 and original titled "四季花開", was banned by Taiwan after someone reported it was based on a mainland China film. The film was later re-titled and changed all the signing lyrics to be allowed to be screened in Taiwan once.

Reminiscence

1974

Lover's Lover poster
NR

Li Han-Hsiang's last film.

Lover's Lover

1994

The Ghost Story poster
8.1

An old man of the village tells kinky ghost stories to a few of it's inhabitants after all the kids have gone to bed. What follows are stories that have horror elements and some soft-core nudity thrown in.

The Ghost Story

1979

The Ghost Story poster
8.1

An old man of the village tells kinky ghost stories to a few of it's inhabitants after all the kids have gone to bed. What follows are stories that have horror elements and some soft-core nudity thrown in.

The Ghost Story

1979

The Magnificent Concubine poster
6.0

Perhaps the most notorious concubine in Chinese history, Yang Guifei set a pudgy standard of beauty in her days of glory during the Tang dynasty. The Emperor Minghuang was so besotted with the woman that when An Lushan stages his rebellion against the empire, the ruler takes Yang Guifei along with his imperial entourage in an escape to the mountainous area of modern-day Sichuan, and sanctuary of sorts. But the concubine had roused the jealousy of the court and unfortunately for her and to the great sorrow of the king, her brother and others among the king's retainers demanded she be strangled to death while they were still in the mountains. This is the story told in this interesting Taiwanese adaptation by director Li Han-hsiang (Li Hanxiang).

The Magnificent Concubine

1962

Cheat to Cheat poster
7.0

Hong Kong comedy directed by Li Han-Hsiang.

Cheat to Cheat

1973

Cheat to Cheat poster
7.0

Hong Kong comedy directed by Li Han-Hsiang.

Cheat to Cheat

1973

The Warlord poster
6.4

No list of the screen's comic geniuses would be complete without Michael Hui Kwun-man. He created a hilarious and lovable comic persona that was both uniquely Asian but also universally beloved. This, his first film, not only showcased his incomparable sense of humor but revolutionized Hong Kong comedy. Evoking Chaplin, he plays a warlord in early 20th Century China, but makes the role his own with both laughs and some of the sexiest ladies on the Shaw Brothers lot.

The Warlord

1972

The Warlord poster
6.4

No list of the screen's comic geniuses would be complete without Michael Hui Kwun-man. He created a hilarious and lovable comic persona that was both uniquely Asian but also universally beloved. This, his first film, not only showcased his incomparable sense of humor but revolutionized Hong Kong comedy. Evoking Chaplin, he plays a warlord in early 20th Century China, but makes the role his own with both laughs and some of the sexiest ladies on the Shaw Brothers lot.

The Warlord

1972

Sensual Pleasures poster
4.8

Sensual Pleasures features a collection of three, ghost story, sexual vignettes starring a viscerally sensual trio of hardcore experience with the well endowed Chen Ping, Chinese adult film legend Shirley Yu and the innocent doe-eyed Shaw Yin-yin.

Sensual Pleasures

1978