101 Essential Chinese Movies

101 Essential Chinese Movies's icon

Created by globetrotter.

Favorited 13 times, disliked 0 times, added to 11 watchlists.

An authoritative list of the greatest films from Mainland China by critic and China film historian Simon Fowler.

Missing from IMDb:
1. Reconnaissance Across The Yangtze (1954) by Xiaodan Tang
2. Sons and Daughters of the Grassland (1974) by Fu Jie

Remove ads

Pssst, want to check out the 101 Essential Chinese Movies list in our new look?

Filter

  1. 39 new

    Ying xiong

    2002 — a.k.a. Hero, in 6 top lists Check
  2. 42 new

    Shi mian mai fu

    2004 — a.k.a. House of Flying Daggers, in 5 top lists Check
  3. 28 new

    Ba wang bie ji

    1992 — a.k.a. Farewell My Concubine, in 18 top lists Check
  4. 66 new

    Da hong denglong gaogao gua

    1991 — a.k.a. Raise the Red Lantern, in 21 top lists Check
  5. 82 new

    San xia hao ren

    2006 — a.k.a. Still Life, in 11 top lists Check
  6. 71 new

    Hong gao liang

    1988 — a.k.a. Red Sorghum, in 11 top lists Check
  7. 68 new

    Chi bi

    2008 — a.k.a. Red Cliff, in 1 top list Check
  8. 63 new

    Zhantai

    2000 — a.k.a. Platform, in 10 top lists Check
  9. 90 new

    Huo zhe

    1994 — a.k.a. To Live, in 7 top lists Check
  10. 41 new

    Dao ma zei

    1986 — a.k.a. The Horse Thief, in 6 top lists Check
  11. 7 new

    Ye yan

    2006 — a.k.a. The Banquet, in 0 top lists Check
  12. 79 new

    Xiao cheng zhi chun

    1948 — a.k.a. Spring in a Small Town, in 10 top lists Check
  13. 76 new

    Ye ban ge sheng

    1935, in 3 top lists Check
  14. 98 new

    Huang tu di

    1984 — a.k.a. Yellow Earth, in 9 top lists Check
  15. 83 new

    Qiu Ju da guan si

    1992 — a.k.a. The Story of Qiu Ju, in 8 top lists Check
  16. 16 new

    Lan feng zheng

    1993 — a.k.a. The Blue Kite, in 8 top lists Check
  17. 75 new

    San qiang pai an jing qi

    2009 — a.k.a. A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop, in 0 top lists Check
  18. 3 new

    Ji jie hao

    2007 — a.k.a. Assembly, in 0 top lists Check
  19. 1 new

    Er shi si cheng ji

    2008 — a.k.a. 24 City, in 2 top lists Check
  20. 24 new

    Guizi lai le

    2000 — a.k.a. Devils on the Doorstep, in 7 top lists Check
  21. 84 new

    Ma lu tian shi

    1937 — a.k.a. Street Angel, in 6 top lists Check
  22. 89 new

    Wo zhe yi bei zi

    1950 — a.k.a. Life of a Beijing Policeman, in 3 top lists Check
  23. 86 new

    Yi He Yuan

    2006 — a.k.a. Summer Palace, in 3 top lists Check
  24. 9 new

    Dalu

    1935 — a.k.a. The Big Road, in 4 top lists Check
  25. 36 new

    Shen nu

    1934, in 10 top lists Check
  26. 8 new

    Shiqi sui de dan che

    2001 — a.k.a. Beijing Bicycle, in 2 top lists Check
  27. 93 new

    Tuya de hun shi

    2006 — a.k.a. Tuya's Marriage, in 1 top list Check
  28. 92 new

    Wutai jiemei

    1964 — a.k.a. Two Stage Sisters, in 6 top lists Check
  29. 80 new

    Yi jiang chun shui xiang dong liu

    1947 — a.k.a. The Spring River Flows East, in 5 top lists Check
  30. 20 new

    Chung Kuo - Cina

    1972, in 2 top lists Check
  31. 10 new

    Da wan

    2001 — a.k.a. Big Shot's Funeral, in 0 top lists Check
  32. 13 new

    Mang shan

    2007 — a.k.a. Blind Mountain, in 0 top lists Check
  33. 31 new

    Mei Lanfang

    2008 — a.k.a. Forever Enthralled, in 0 top lists Check
  34. 97 new

    Tian xia wu zei

    2004 — a.k.a. A World Without Thieves, in 0 top lists Check
  35. 23 new

    Wuya yu maque

    1949 — a.k.a. Crows and Sparrows, in 1 top list Check
  36. 6 new

    Xiao cai feng

    2002 — a.k.a. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, in 0 top lists Check
  37. 50 new

    Xiao Wanyi

    1933 — a.k.a. Little Toys, in 2 top lists Check
  38. 62 new

    Xiao Wu

    1997 — a.k.a. Pickpocket, in 3 top lists Check
  39. 44 new

    Bian Lian

    1995 — a.k.a. The King of Masks, in 0 top lists Check
  40. 81 new

    Chun can

    1933, in 2 top lists Check
  41. 26 new

    Dong gong xi gong

    1996 — a.k.a. East Palace, West Palace, in 1 top list Check
  42. 21 new

    Feng kuang de shi tou

    2006 — a.k.a. Crazy Stone, in 1 top list Check
  43. 40 new

    Fu rong zhen

    1987 — a.k.a. Hibiscus Town, in 3 top lists Check
  44. 11 new

    Hei pao shi jian

    1985 — a.k.a. The Black Cannon Incident, in 1 top list Check
  45. 69 new

    Hong se niang zi jun

    1961 — a.k.a. The Red Detachment of Women, in 1 top list Check
  46. 67 new

    Hong ying tao

    1996 — a.k.a. Red Cherry, in 0 top lists Check
  47. 2 new

    Lichun

    2007 — a.k.a. And the Spring Comes, in 0 top lists Check
  48. 95 new

    Nu lan wu hao

    1957 — a.k.a. Woman Basketball Player No. 5, in 1 top list Check
  49. 87 new

    Shuang Qi Zhen dao ke

    1991 — a.k.a. The Swordsman in Double Flag Town, in 1 top list Check
  50. 65 new

    Tie shan gong zhu

    1941 — a.k.a. Princess Iron Fan, in 0 top lists Check
Remove ads
Show all 99 movies

Last updated on Apr 25, 2015; source