This film is part of Free

Old China

Look closely into the Willow pattern for a timeless tale of tragic love.

Amateur film 1939 9 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for North West Film Archive

Overview

Tales of doomed and thwarted love are timeless, and this intriguing short film relates a story set in Imperial China. Told to a young couple planning their wedding and marital home, they - and we - learn the tragic tale of Koong-Shee and Chang, her father's servant, as revealed in the traditional pattern on a Willow pattern plate. George Wain, one of the filmmakers, plays the role of the fiancé.