Article: Top 10 Chinese Movies That Are Based On Famous Novels

We all enjoy reading novels as they help us create scenarios of what the actual story would have looked like. Books are known for their great plotlines which creates suspense for readers and motivates them to keep reading more. When we get to know that a great book which we love is being made into a movie, it's just the best thing for readers, to be able to give life to their favorite characters and get a fantastic experience of actually seeing what the story is portraying. Let’s see the top 10 Chinese movies based on famous novels.

1. Red Sorghum

Red Sorghum is adapted from the novel by Mo Yan. The story is of a 19-year-old woman who gets sold to marry a Chinese wine shop owned by her father. She eventually matures from an innocent girl to a capable female shopkeeper of the wine shop and gains respect. During that time, the peace of China was interrupted by the Japanese army. Jiu’er leads an army and eventually sacrificed her own life, which shows the story of love, ambition, and determination.

2. Coming Home

Coming Home taken from the novel The Criminal Lu Yanshi by Yan Geling. The movie is about a former professor Lu Yanshi who attempts but fails to reach his wife due to being transferred to another labor camp. He eventually returns home three years later and finds his wife has amnesia. Because of his criminal record, a lot of pressure is put on his daughter, who wants to become a ballet dancer. His daughter tries to prevent him from meeting his wife.

3. Back To 1942

Back to 1942 is adapted from the novel Remembering 1942 by Liu Zhenyun. Set in the Henan province. The landlord, Fan Dianyuan, took all his valuables, food supplies, and family members to escape the Shaanxi province on a horse carriage. Three months later, he lost his horse and most of his members. He decides to go back to his hometown when he meets a little girl who had lost her family too and comforts her.

4. Raise The Red Lantern

Raise the Red Lantern is adapted from the novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. It is set in the 1920s and tells the story of Songlian, who becomes the third mistress of a wealthy man. She later discovers that not all concubines get the same treatment. After marrying in, Songlian discovers that all concubines don’t receive the same treatment. The master decides with whom he wants to spend time and lights the red lantern in front of their room.

5. In The Heat Of The Sun

This movie is adapted from the novel Wild Beast by Wang Shuo. The story is about Ma Xiaojun, the protagonist, and his friends with whom he roams on the streets of Beijing all the time because of having busy parents. It shows Ma’s adolescence and growth with his male friend and his crush on Mi Lan.

6. Farewell My Concubine

It was adapted from the novel Farewell, my concubine by Lilian lee. It follows the story of a nine-year-old Douzi who got sold into a Peking opera cast in 1942. He had hard times in the troupe and got warmth only from his senior Shitou. This duo was inseparable and vowed to play Farewell, My Concubine. The twist unfolds when Douzi marries a prostitute and distances himself from Chen.

7. To Live

It was adapted from the novel To Live by Yu Hua. The movie shows the life of Fugui, who loses everything because of gambling. His wife leaves him while being pregnant with their son and their Daughter. One year later, he swears to become a better person and give his life all the purpose of living.

8. Aftershock

It is a movie adapted from Aftershock by Zhang Ling. It was when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Tangshan in 1976. The story is of Li Yuanni’s son and daughter separated because of the disaster. The rescue team says only one of them could be saved, and she chooses to save the boy, and her words are heard by the daughter.

9. Chronicles Of The Ghostly Tribes

The movie is based on the novel written by Zhang Muye best-selling fantasy novel series Ghost Blows Out the Light. It shows the adventures of Hu Bayi, a former soldier. An explosion leads to a cave with unfamiliar bones, and an archaeologist explains that it could be a site with a mythical ghost tribe. Hu teams up with the archaeologist and his daughter to discover more about it.

10. The Taking Of Tiger Mountain

It is a novel based on Tracks in the Snowy Forest by Qu Bo. The story is about the conflict between the People's Liberation Army of China and a bandit gang. It’s a group of soldiers on a mission to get back the land overrun by bandits. The movie depicts a group of soldiers on a mission to retake land overrun by bandits. It opens in the wake of World War 2 with unit 203 army who are running low on necessities required during winter.