Curse of the Golden Flower is a 2006 is a movie directed by Zhang Yimou based in China in 928 AD. This movie is super flashy. Every detail in costuming and setting demonstrates the extreme wealth of the Chinese emperor. The story is about an emperor's wife who is slowly being poisoned by the emperor's doctor as per the emperor's orders. The story is based on the conflicted and volatile relationships within the royal family which took place in the later Tang dynasty. The film is well acted and seemed to integrate elements of Confucianism in the story. All in all the movie was entertaining and exciting to watch. I could see the movie being used in a school setting to teach costuming. Students could research how people of different classes dressed and then create drawings depicting the garments.
You’ve highlighted the film’s visual splendor and its depiction of the emperor’s wealth. I agree that Curse of the Golden Flower is a visual feast with its elaborate costumes and sets.
Building on your idea of a costuming project, I’d suggest also exploring the Confucian themes of loyalty, honor, and power struggles in the film. This could lead to discussions on how Confucianism shaped the Tang Dynasty and how the film’s portrayal compares with historical records.
Your project idea for researching historical garments is excellent. To expand on it, students could create a comparison between the film’s depiction and actual Tang Dynasty artifacts, helping them critically engage with both the film and historical sources.