Verführerischer Mond

Shanghai in the 20s. With the fall of the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, the formerly powerful patrician Pang family is also on the verge of collapse. Even the feudal palace no longer offers any protection against the social upheaval in the newly formed republic. After the death of her father, the beautiful Pang Ruyi (Gong Li) is installed as the head of the family, her brother Zhengda, who was actually supposed to play this role, has become addicted to opium. Zhengda's young brother-in-law Yu Zhongliang (Leslie Cheung), who is supposed to steal the patrician's daughter's love and fortune on behalf of the mafia, bursts into this gloomy atmosphere. Ruyi falls into a love-hate relationship with the gigolo and drags the whole family into a vortex of fateful feelings.