As adults, the performers are seemingly rewarded for the fruits of their labors as children in the brutal opera training troupe once they become renowned adult opera performers. The title of the film is derived from the eponymous play performed in the play first by a middle aged Sitou and Douzi who originally learned it, as we see later on, as children. This play sets up Shitou and Douzi in their dual roles as the king and concubine. Shitou, who is portrayed by the actor Zhang Fengyi, is assigned the role of the masculine king and later on becomes known through the stage name Duan Xiaolou. Douzi, portrayed by the actor Leslie Cheung, is assigned the role of the female concubine in the “dan” role and later on becomes known through the stage