After her father's death, 19-year-old Songlian (Li Gong) marries the much older Chen Zuoqian, becoming the latest concubine in Chen's burgeoning harem. As the fourth wife, Songlian suddenly finds herself at the bottom of an oppressive hierarchy, in which competition for the master's attention -- and the attendant privileges it carries -- is intense. This lushly filmed drama won a BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language.