Chu Que Wu Shan 2007 -
Fans argue that the film is a masterclass in "soft imagery." Director Li Yu uses water, rain, and plant sap as fluids of love rather than explicit nudity. The famous "boat scene" where the two women drift down a river shrouded in mist is a direct visual translation of the poem's "Wu Mountain clouds." It is art-house lesbian cinema.
For those searching for the term "Chu Que Wu Shan 2007," you are likely looking for more than just a film review. You are looking for an artifact—a piece of Queer cinema history that navigated the narrow straits between poetic allegory and explicit desire in contemporary China. This article dives deep into the film’s origins, its poetic title, its narrative complexity, and why, nearly two decades later, it remains a whispered legend. Before analyzing the plot, one must understand the weight of the title. "Chu Que Wu Shan" (除却巫山) is a cultural shorthand derived from a famous Tang Dynasty poem by Yuan Zhen: "Having witnessed the vast sea, no water is worthy of praise; Having crossed the peak of Wu Mountain, no cloud is worth seeing." (曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云). chu que wu shan 2007
The implication is profound: After experiencing the ultimate, nothing else compares. By using this phrase for a 2007 film about a lesbian relationship, the director immediately elevates the romance from a "taboo affair" to a classical, tragic, and epic love. The "Wu Mountain" of the title becomes the female body; the clouds become the fleeting moments of intimacy. The film argues that this love, though socially invisible, is the standard by which all other loves should be judged. Directed by Li Yu (a female director known for her raw, naturalistic style, though she has since distanced herself from some of the more sensational marketing of this film), Chu Que Wu Shan (internationally known as The Chinese Botanist's Daughters ) is set in a lush, isolated botanical garden in late 20th-century China. Fans argue that the film is a masterclass in "soft imagery
The affair begins with a stolen glance, escalates to a fumbling kiss in the greenhouse, and culminates in a scene of intimacy that, while tame by Western standards, was radical for mainland China in 2007. The "2007" timestamp is crucial here. This was an era before the explosion of LGBTQ+ content on streaming platforms. Brokeback Mountain was banned in mainland theaters. The internet was slow, censored, and decentralized. Releasing "Chu Que Wu Shan" in 2007 was an act of guerrilla filmmaking. The film was not given a Mainland theatrical release due to the strict prohibition of depicting "homosexual behavior" in a positive or neutral light. Instead, the film traveled the festival circuit (Pusan International Film Festival, 2006, before landing in Europe in 2007). You are looking for an artifact—a piece of
