Film Name: House of Flying Daggers
电影名：十面埋伏

Directed by: Zhang Yimou
导演：张艺谋

Starring: Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Ziyi
主演：刘德华，金成武，章子怡

Introduction：

House of Flying Daggers is a 2004 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. It differs from other wuxia films in that it is more of a love story than a straight martial arts film. The film was chosen as China's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for the year 2004; but was not nominated in that category though it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. The film is set in the year 859. The once great Tang Dynasty is now in decline. Numerous rebel groups have formed, the largest of which is the House of Flying Daggers, based in Fengtian county. The Flying Daggers steal from the rich and give to the poor, gaining the support of the locals. The film features the theme of a beautiful woman who brings woe to two men. This theme is borrowed from a famous poem written by the Han Dynasty poet Li Yannian:

Běifāng yǒu jiārén, juéshì ér dúlì.
北方有佳人，绝世而独立
In the north there is a beauty; surpassing the world, she stands alone.

Yí gù qīng rén chéng, zài gù qīng rén guó.
一顾倾人城，再顾倾人国
A glance from her will overthrow a city; another glance will overthrow a nation.

Nìng bù zhī qīng chéng yǔ qīng guó.
宁不知倾城与倾国
One would rather not know whether it will be a city or a nation that will be overthrown.

Jiārén nán zài dé.
佳人难再得
As it would be difficult to behold such a beauty again.