The 1991 Chinese film Raise the Red Lantern directed by Zhang Yimou is a visually stunning and thematically rich story set in 1920s China. The film centers around the arranged marriage between Songlian, a college educated woman from a wealthy family who becomes the fourth wife or mistress of a powerful man. A key motif throughout the film is the red lanterns that are lit outside the house of the man’s chosen wife or concubine for the night. The red lanterns hold great symbolic meaning and represent the themes of status, power dynamics, jealousy, and female oppression in the film.
Status and Power Dynamics
In the large and labyrinthine compound where Songlian now lives with her husband’s other wives, the red lanterns indicate which of the women the master has selected to share his chamber and bed for the night. The chosen concubine receives foot massages, wine, and other luxuries for the evening. As such, the red lanterns signify status, hierarchy, and the favor of the master bestowed upon one wife over the others. They create competition and jealousy between the women vying for their husband’s attention and affirmation of their worth.
The lanterns and their meaning within the household reflect the broader power dynamics of wealthy men and their subservient concubines in 1920s China. Although she was once educated and independent, Songlian is now rendered dependent on her master’s affection and at the mercy of his whims. The red lanterns externalize the domestic and sexual politics, making visible on the exterior of the home what unfolds behind closed doors.
Jealousy and Competition
When Songlian first arrives at the compound, the second wife Zhuoyun explains the meaning of the lanterns to her. She tells Songlian that all the wives scrutinize which color lantern is lit each night, anxiously awaiting to see who the master has favored. Zhuoyun also says that over time, the wives come to resent whichever woman receives the red lanterns most frequently.
Zhuoyun’s own actions reflect this jealousy and competition for status. At one point in the film, she scolds and punishes a servant girl for accidentally lighting the red lantern at Songlian’s chamber instead of her own. She seems desperate to maintain her tenuous position of primacy in the household. Meanwhile, the elderly first wife suffers from mental illness exacerbated by her husband’s neglect and the knowledge that the red lanterns no longer shine for her.
Oppression of Women
The red lanterns in Raise the Red Lantern shine a light on the plight of elite women in 1920s China who had few rights and were largely considered the property of their husbands. Songlian is an educated woman whose intelligence and independence quickly erode after her marriage. She has no autonomy and must compete with her husband’s other wives for basic affection and respect.
The lighting of the red lanterns fractionalizes the women against each other rather than allowing them to recognize their common oppression. Their worth is entirely dependent on the fickle sexual desires of the master. Even servant girls in the household are not safe from being raped at the master’s whims. The red lanterns externalize the exploitation of women happening inside the family compound.
Themes in Tables
| Theme | How the Red Lanterns Represent It |
|---|---|
| Status | The favored wife of the night has her lantern lit, signifying her elevated position |
| Power Dynamics | The husband holds all the power; the wives are dependent on his attention |
| Jealousy | The wives compete for and resent whoever’s lantern is lit most |
| Oppression of Women | The lanterns externalize the lack of autonomy and ownership women have over their bodies and lives |
The Color Red
It is also significant that the lanterns in question are specifically red. Red is traditionally associated with luck, celebration, and happiness in Chinese culture. However, in the film the red takes on ironic, contradictory meanings. Rather than fortune and joy, the red lanterns signal oppression, distress, and the blood-red cycles of the female protagonists. Red is also a symbol of passion, love, and sexuality. This connects to how the women are valued only for their sexual relationships with their husband.
Light and Darkness
Light and darkness are familiar metaphors related to knowledge, power, and secrecy. The red lanterns punctuate the darkness, illuminating the chosen wife’s chamber. However, shadows, secrets, and ignorance still prevail throughout the compound. Songlian is kept in the dark about the family she has married into and the truth of her husband’s life and desires. She was blinded by the prospect of marrying into a wealthy family but remains unfulfilled.
Conclusion
In Raise the Red Lantern, the recurring image of the red lanterns outside the wives’ chambers takes on layered symbolic meanings. The lanterns represent status, power, jealousy, oppression, sexuality, light and dark, luck and misery. They visually encapsulate the experiences of elite concubines in 1920s China who had little autonomy or power over their fates. Both within the film and in wider culture, the lanterns shine a light on the themes of gender inequality and female oppression that Zhang Yimou brings to the forefront in his work. The red lanterns externalize the distress women experienced behind closed doors, resonating with significance and metaphor both inside and outside the walls of the compound.
