Maps of Movies

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

Where Farewell My Concubine says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

Beijing's opera school, the eunuch's mansion and the Cultural Revolution square: the places are real, but the scenes were shot in museums and campuses elsewhere in the city

Scenes and places

The empty theater, twenty-two years on (1977)

Years after the Cultural Revolution, Dieyi and Xiaolou step onto an empty stage to rehearse together again. The film starts here and then goes back to how the two boys met.

Set in An empty Beijing theater — Two aging opera stars walk into a dark theater where they once performed together.

A Beijing theater; order taken from the opening of the script, location not found in any source.

Master Guan's opera school (1924)

Abandoned by his mother, Douzi is raised in a harsh opera troupe where Shitou protects him. Douzi is beaten for repeatedly misspeaking the line that says he is a girl, and this line becomes the thing he is fighting about for the rest of the film.

Set in Master Guan's opera troupe — Douzi is left at the troupe, trained as a dan (female role) and befriended by Shitou.

A Beijing opera training school of the 1920s; the real filming site is a museum to the opera star Mei Lanfang.

The eunuch's mansion (1924)

The troupe is invited to perform for the eunuch Zhang. Shitou promises Douzi the sword they find there, as a hero would for his concubine, and Zhang asks to see Douzi alone.

Set in Eunuch Zhang's mansion — The troupe is invited to perform for the eunuch Zhang; Shitou and Douzi find a finely crafted sword.

A large Qing-dynasty princely residence beside the Shichahai lakes, now a museum.

Filmed at Prince Gong's Mansion, 17 Qianhai West Street (Xicheng · Shichahai, Beijing, China) — The long corridor Douzi is led down is said to be filmed here. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: In Xicheng District near Qianhai lake; a ticketed historic site.

Stars on the stage

Dieyi and Xiaolou are now the stars Cheng Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou. Before every play Dieyi finishes Xiaolou's makeup as a small act of love, which Xiaolou does not see for what it is.

Set in A Beijing opera theater — Dieyi and Xiaolou, now stars, perform Farewell My Concubine as Consort Yu and Xiang Yu.

A traditional Peking opera theater; no filming location was found for this scene (order is approximate).

The night the army arrives

Xiaolou is arrested after confronting Japanese soldiers, and Dieyi agrees to perform for the Japanese to win his friend's release. The sacrifice goes unthanked and widens the gap between them.

Set in A Beijing street — A night street in Beijing as Japanese forces take control.

The great south gate of the Forbidden City; the film's street is a different place than where it was shot (order is approximate).

Filmed at Meridian Gate, Palace Museum, 4 Jingshanqian Street (Dongcheng · Forbidden City, Beijing, China) — The square in front of the Meridian Gate is said to be where the night-street scene was filmed. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: In front of the Forbidden City's south gate, on Jingshanqian Street.

The rainy corridor

After the Japanese surrender, the Kuomintang authorities charge Dieyi with treason, and Xiaolou and Juxian scramble to save him. Dieyi's private world starts to collapse.

Set in A long corridor in Beijing — A long covered corridor on a rainy night.

A former Catholic university campus in Beijing (order is approximate).

Singing before the soldiers

Released after the treason charge, Dieyi performs before the Kuomintang army. The ordeal leaves his bond with Xiaolou and Juxian damaged.

Set in A Beijing gate — Dieyi is released and sings before the Kuomintang troops.

The front gate of the same former university campus (order is approximate).

The troupe courtyard under the new regime

With the Communists in power, Xiao Si, Dieyi's apprentice, becomes an ardent follower of the new government and starts to resent his teacher. Dieyi, battling opium, loses ground in the troupe.

Set in The opera troupe courtyard — A courtyard where the troupe now lives under the new government.

Same museum site as the training scenes; the Chinese article names it as Cheng Dieyi's home.

The struggle session (1966)

Accused by Xiao Si and Na Kun, the entire troupe is dragged to a struggle session by Red Guards. Friends and colleagues are made to turn on each other in public.

Set in A Beijing square during the Cultural Revolution — The troupe is forced into a struggle session by Red Guards.

A 15th-century Confucian temple in central Beijing.

Filmed at Beijing Confucius Temple, 13 Guozijian Street (Dongcheng · Guozijian, Beijing, China) — Said to be filmed here on 1 July 1992. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: In Dongcheng District on Guozijian Street, next to the Imperial College.

Characters

• Cheng Dieyi — A Peking opera actor who plays female roles and loves his stage partner.
• Duan Xiaolou — Dieyi's stage partner and childhood friend, who plays male hero roles.
• Juxian — A former prostitute who marries Xiaolou and seeks an ordinary life.

Questions answered on the map

• Which mansion is the eunuch's house in Farewell My Concubine?
• Where was the Cultural Revolution scene in Farewell My Concubine filmed?