Temptress Moon is a 1996 Chinese film directed by Chen Kaige. It was jointly produced by the Shanghai Film Studio and the Taipei-based Tomson Films. The film saw Chen reuniting with Leslie Cheung and Gong Li who had previously worked with him in his breakout international hit Farewell My Concubine.

Plot

It is the day of the abdication of Emperor Puyi; the Pang clan, a wealthy family, is in decline. Zhongliang, a thirteen-year-old boy, arrives at the Pang estate to live with his sister Xiuyi and her husband Zhengda, a heavy opium user and the son of the family head. Ruyi, daughter of the head of the family, has been raised as an opium addict from birth and is consequently unable to be married off; she is running happily through the estate when Zhongliang arrives. Duanwu, a cousin with no prospects, longs to play with Ruyi. All three momentarily share a doorway. Zhongliang is treated like a servant, including being expected to prepare Zhengda's nightly opium pipe; it is heavily implied that Zhengda sexually abuses Zhongliang by forcing him into having sex with Xiuyi. After six months of continued abuse, Zhongliang flees the estate.