Five Golden Flowers

Five Golden Flowers (Chinese: 五朶金花; pinyin: Wǔ duo jīnhuā) is a 1959 Chinese romantic musical film directed by Wang Jiayi and produced by Changchun Film Studio. The screenplay was written by Zhao Jikang and Wang Gongpu. Set in the Dali City in Yunnan Province, the film is about a Bai ethnic youth, Ah Peng, searching for his beloved ethnic girl Jin Hua (Golden Flower). Made during the Great Leap Forward, the film celebrates socialist construction and agricultural collectivization. The theme song of the film "By the Butterfly Spring," composed by musician Lei Zhenbang, was one of the most well-known folk songs in China. The film was produced and released in 1959. It received exuberant responses from audiences and was exported to 46 countries after its debut. During the Cultural Revolution, it was banned and attacked by Jiang Qing for promoting romanticism. In 1978, the film was re-released. At the Second Asian-African Film Festival in Cairo in 1960, the film won the best director and best actress awards. In the 2000 Changchun Film Festival, Five Golden Flowers won first place in the "Top 10 Chinese Films of the Century" selection. Plot Dali in March is sunny and comfortable. Ah Peng is a Bai ethnic minority youth from Jianchuan county in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. On the opening day of Dali's March Fair, Ah Peng is on his way to a horse racing. Along the way, he meets a group of girls whose wagon breaks down by the roadside. Ah Peng helps them fix the wagon, but that almost causes him to miss the horse racing. Leaving in a hurry, Ah Peng drops his tools. One of the girls, Jin Hua, is impressed by Ah Peng's skill and kindness. She carefully puts the tools in her handcrafted pouch. Ah Peng was late for the race. He sped up and surpassed his competitors. Among the crowd of spectators, Jin Hua and her friends cheer for Ah Peng. After Ah Peng wins the horse racing, Jin Hua finds him and gives him her pouch. Staring at Jin Hua's golden embroidery, Ah Peng falls in love with her. By the Butterfly Spring, Jin Hua and Ah Peng express their love for one another by singing a Bai duet. Ah Peng gives Jin Hua his steel knife, which symbolizes his faithfulness. Jin Hua promises Ah Peng to meet at the same place at next year's March Fair. She tells Ah Peng her name, Jin Hua.