The 100 best Mainland Chinese Films: the full list

See the top 100 Chinese Mainland films at a glance with our full list

Let the Bullets Fly

100. The Message

1

Dirs Chen Kuo-Fu and Gao Qunshu, China,2009; Drama/Crime/Thriller

Chinese name: 风声

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99. The September of Mine

Dir Yin Li, 1990; Family

Chinese name: 我的九月

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98. Beijing Bastards

Dir Zhang Yuan, China, 1993;Drama

Chinese name: 北京杂种

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97. The Swordsman in Double Flag Town

2

Dir He Ping, 1992; Martial Arts

Chinese name: 双旗镇刀客

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96. Last Train Home

3

Dir Fan Lixin, China, 2009;Documentary

Chinese name: 归途列车

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95. Drug War

4

Dir Johnny To, 2012; Crime/Action

Chinese name: 毒战

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94. Zero Thousand Li Under the Clouds and Moon

Dir Cheng Yusu, 2013

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93. Waves Washing the Sand

5

Dir Wu Yonggang, 1936; Drama

Chinese name: 大浪淘沙

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92. Song of the Fisherman

Dir Cai Chusheng, China, 1934;Drama

Chinese name: 渔光曲

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91. The Next Life

Dir Fan Jian, 2011; Documentary

Chinese name: 活着

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90. Ermo

Dir Zhou Xiaowen,China, 1994; Comedy/Drama

Chinese name: 二嫫

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89. Cow

Dir Guan Hu, 2009; Comedy

Chinese name: 斗牛

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88. FortuneTeller

Dir Xu Tong,China, 2010; Documentary

Chinese name: 算命徐童

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87. Princess Iron Fan

Dirs Wan Guchan & Wan Laiming, 1941; Animation

Chinese name: 铁扇公主

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86. Karamay

Dir Xu Xin,China, 2010; Documentary

Chinese name: 克拉玛依

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85. The Lin Family Shop

Dir Choui Khoua, 1959; Melodrama

Chinese name: 林家铺子

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84. Long Live the Mistress

Dir Hu Sang, China,1947; Drama

Chinese name: 太太万岁

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83. Assembly

Dir Feng Xiaogang, 2007; War

Chinese name: 集结号

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82. The Legend of Sealed Book

8

Dir Wang Shuchen, China, 1983;Animation

Chinese name: 天书奇谭

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81. East Palace, West Palace

Dir Zhang Yuan, 1996; Drama

Chinese name: 东宫西宫

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80. Disorder

Dir Huang Weikai,China, 2009; Documentary

Chinese name: 无序

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79. Doctor Ma’s Country Clinic

Dir Cong Feng, 2008; Documentary

Chinese name: 马大夫的诊所

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78. 11 Flowers

9

Dir Wang Xiaoshuai, China, 2011;Drama

Chinese name: 我十一

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77. People Mountain People Sea

Dir Cai Shangjun, 2011; Western/Thriller

Chinese name: 人山人海

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76. If You Are The One

Dir Feng Xiaogang, China, 2008;Comedy/Romance

Chinese name: 非诚勿扰

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75. House of Flying Daggers

10

Dir Zhang Yimou, 2004; Martial Arts

Chinese name: 十面埋伏

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74. Winter Vacation

Dir Li Hongqi,China, 2010; Drama

Chinese film: 寒假

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73. The Black Cannon Incident

Dir Huang Jianxin, 1985; Comedy

Chinese name: 黑炮事件

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72. A World Without Thieves

Dir Feng Xiaogang, China, 2004;Action/Crime/Drama

Chinese name: 天下无贼

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71. The World

Dir Jia Zhangke, 2004; Drama/Comedy

Chinese name: 世界

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70. Third Sister Liu

Dir Su Li, China,1960; Musical

Chinese name: 刘三姐

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69. The Missing Gun

Dir Lu Chuan, 2002; Drama/Crime

Chinese name: 寻枪

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68. The Search

Dir Pema Tseden, 2007; Drama

Chinese name: 寻找智美更登

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67. On the Beat

Dir Ning Ying, 1995; Comedy

Chinese name: 民警故事

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66. Purple Butterfly

Dir Lou Ye, China,2003; Drama/History/War

Chinese name: 紫蝴蝶

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65. Woman Basketball Player No 5

Dir Xie Jin, 1957; Sport/Drama

Chinese name: 女篮五号

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64. Keep Cool

Dir Zhang Yimou, China, 1997;Comedy

Chinese name: 有话好好说

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63. Oxhide II

11

Dir Liu Jiayin, 2009; Experimental/Drama

Chinese name: 牛皮2

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62. Taking Father Home

Dir Ying Liang, China, 2005;Drama

Chinese name: 背鸭子的男孩

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61. For Fun

Dir Ning Ying, 1993; Comedy

Chinese name: 找乐

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60. Father

Dirs Wang Shuo and Lao Yun, China, 1996; Drama

Chinese name: 我是你爸爸

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59. My Memories of Old Beijing

12

Dir Wu Yigong, 1982; Drama

Chinese name: 城南旧事

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58. New Women

Dir Cai Chusheng, China, 1935;Drama

Chinese name: 新女性

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57. The Troubleshooters

Dir Mi Jiashan,1989; Comedy

Chinese name: 顽主

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56. The Days

Dir Wang Xiaoshuai, China, 1993;Drama

Chinese name: 冬春的日子

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55. Miserable at Middle Age

Dir Sang Hu, 1949; Comedy

Chinese name: 哀乐中年

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54. Emperor Visits The Hell

Dir Li Luo, China,2012; Drama

Chinese name: 唐皇游地府

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53. 24 City

Dir Jia Zhangke, 2008; Drama/Experimental/Documentary

Chinese name: 24城记

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52. Beijing Bicycle

13

Dir Wang Xiaoshuai, China, 2001;Drama

Chinese name: 十七岁的单车

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51. A Touch of Sin

14

Dir Jia Zhangke, 2013; Drama

Chinese name: 天注定

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50. The Dream Factory

Dir Feng Xiaogang, 1997; Comedy

Chinese name: 甲方乙方

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49. Early Spring in February

Dir Xie Tieli, 1963; Melodrama

Chinese name: 早春二月

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48. Shower

15

Dir Zhang Yang, 1999; Comedy/Drama

Chinese name: 洗澡

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47. City of Life and Death

16

Dir Lu Chuan, 2009; War

Chinese name: 南京!南京!

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46. In Expectation

Dir Zhang Ming, 1996; Comedy/Drama

Chinese name: 巫山云雨

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45. Prince Nezha’s Triumph Against Dragon King

17

Dirs Yan Dingxian, Wang Shuchen and Xu Jingda, 1979;Animation

Chinese name: 哪吒闹海

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44. The Story of Qiu Ju

18

Dir Zhang Yimou, 1992; Comedy/Drama

Chinese name: 秋菊打官司

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43. The Spring River Flows East

Dirs Cai Chusheng, Zheng Junli, 1947; Melodrama

Chinese name: 一江春水向东流

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42. Back to Back, Face to Face

Dir Huang Jianxian, 1994; Drama

Chinese name: 背靠背,脸对脸

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41. Crows and Sparrows

Dir Zheng Junli, 1949; Drama

Chinese name: 乌鸦与麻雀

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40. Life of a Peking Policeman

19

Dir Shi Hui, 1950; Drama

Chinese name: 我这一辈子

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39. Spring Fever

Dir Lou Ye, 2009; Drama/Romance

Chinese name: 春风沉醉的晚上

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38. Kekexili: Mountain Patrol

20

Dir Lu Chuan, 2004; Drama/Action

Chinese name: 可可西里

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37. Peacock

Dir Gu Changwei, 2005; Drama

Chinese name: 孔雀

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36. King of the Children

21

Dir Chen Kaige, 1987; Drama

Chinese name: 孩子王

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35. Sacrifice of Youth

Dir Zhang Nuanxin, 1985; Drama

Chinese name: 青春祭

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34. Woman Demon Human

Dir Huang Shuqin, 1987; Drama

Chinese name: 人鬼情

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33. Mr Zhao

Dir Lu Yue, 1998; Drama

Chinese name: 赵先生

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32. Unknown Pleasures

22

Dir Jia Zhangke, 2002; Comedy/Drama

Chinese name: 任逍遥

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31. Hero

23

Dir Zhang Yimou, 2002; Martial Arts

Chinese name: 英雄

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30. The Big Road

Dir Sun Yu, 1934; Drama/Comedy/Musical

Chinese name: 大路

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29. Crazy Stone

Dir Ning Hao, 2006; Crime/Comedy

Chinese name: 疯狂的石头

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28. Let the Bullets Fly

24

Dir Jiang Wen, 2010; Action/Comedy/Western

Chinese name: 让子弹飞

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27 Oxhide

Dir Liu Jiayin, 2005; Drama/Experimental

Chinese name: 牛皮

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26. Petition

Dir Zhao Liang, 2009; Documentary

Chinese name: 上访

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25. The Horse Thief

Dir Tian Zhuangzhuang, 1986; Drama

Chinese name: 盗马贼

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24. Havoc in Heaven

25

Dirs Wan Laiming and Tang Cheng, 1965; Animation

Chinese name: 大闹天宫

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23. Two Stage Sisters

26

Dir Xie Jin, 1964; Melodrama

Chinese name: 舞台姐妹

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22. Black Snow

27

Dir Xie Fei, 1990; Drama

Chinese name: 本命年

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21. Ju Dou

28

Dirs Zhang Yimou and Yang Fengliang, 1990; Drama/Romance

Chinese name: 菊豆

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20. Summer Palace

29

Dir Lou Ye, 2006; Drama/Romance

Chinese name: 颐和园

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19. Hibiscus Town

30

Dir Xie Jin, 1986; Drama

Chinese name: 芙蓉镇

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18. The Sun Also Rises

31

Dir Jiang Wen, 2007; Drama

Chinese name: 太阳照常升起

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17. Suzhou River

32

Dir Lou Ye, 2000; Drama/Romance

Chinese name: 苏州河

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16. Platform

33

Dir Jia Zhangke, 2000; Drama

Chinese name: 站台

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15. Blind Shaft

34

Dir Li Yang, 2003; Drama/Thriller

Chinese name: 盲井

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14. The Blue Kite

35

Dir Tian Zhuangzhuang, 1993; Drama

Chinese name: 蓝风筝

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13. Raise the Red Lantern

36

Dir Zhang Yimou, 1991; Drama

Chinese name: 大红灯笼高高挂

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12. Red Sorghum

37

Dir Zhang Yimou, 1987; Drama/War

Chinese name: 红高粱

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11. Still Life

38

Dir Jia Zhangke, 2006; Drama

Chinese name: 三峡好人

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10. Street Angel

39

Dir Yuan Muzhi, 1937; Drama/Comedy/Musical

Chinese name: 马路天使

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9. The Goddess

40

Dir Wu Yonggang, 1934; Melodrama

Chinese name: 神女

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8. To Live

41

Dir Zhang Yimou, 1994; Drama/War

Chinese name: 活着

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7. Yellow Earth

42

Dir Chen Kaige, 1984; Drama

Chinese name: 黄土地

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6. West of the Tracks

Dir Wang Bing, 2003; Documentary

Chinese name: 铁西区

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5. The Pickpocket (aka Xiao Wu)

43

Dir Jia Zhangke, 1997; Drama

Chinese name: 小武

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4. In the Heat of the Sun

44

Dir Jiang Wen, 1994; Drama

Chinese name: 阳光灿烂的日子

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3. Devils on the Doorstep

45

Dir Jiang Wen, 2000; Comedy/War

Chinese name: 鬼子来了

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2. Spring in a Small Town

46

Dir Fei Mu, 1948; Melodrama

Chinese name: 小城之春

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1. Farewell My Concubine

47

Dir Chen Kaige, 1993; Drama

Chinese name: 霸王别姬

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