"Two boys meet at an opera training school in Peking in 1924. Their resulting friendship will span nearly 70 years and endure some of the most troublesome times in China's history."
Leslie Cheung
as Cheng Dieyi / Xiao Douzi
Zhang Fengyi
as Duan Xiaolou / Xiao Shitou
Gong Li
as Juxian
Lü Qi
as Master Guan
Ying Da
as Manager
Ge You
as Master Yuan Shiqing
Lei Han
as Xiao Si
Tong Di
as Zhang the Eunuch
Yin Zhi
as Teenage Douzi
Ma Mingwei
as Young Douzi
Zhao Hailong
as Teenage Shitou
Fei Zhenxiang
as Young Shitou
Yang Yong Chao
as Young Xiao Laizi
Huang Fei
as Old Master
Jiang Wenli
as Douzi's Mother
Zhi Yitong
as Aoki Saburo
Li Chun
as Teenage Xiao Si
David Wu
as Red Guard
Shen Huifen
as Cai Feng
Huang Lei
as Little Hooligan
Fang Zheng
as Client
Sui Yongqing
as Madam
Yang Lixin
as Douzi (voice)
Gu Changwei
Director of Photography
Chen Kaige
Director
Lilian Lee Bik-Wah
Screenplay
Pei Xiaonan
Editor
Novel
Lu Wei
Theme Song Performance
Tang Jun Nian
Executive Producer
Hsu Feng
Bai Yu
Assistant Director
Zhang Jinzhan
Action Director
Jin Ping
Jonathan Lee
Original Music Composer
Zhao Jiping
Zhao Faquan
Cinematography
Yang Yu-He
Art Designer
Yang Zhanjia
Tingxiao Huo
Art Department Assistant
Nakamuka Tawishiko
Sound Recordist
Wei Junhua
Foley Artist
Hu Bingxu
Conductor
Shen Jianqin
Sound Engineer
Xianchun Zhang
Prop Designer
Kang Xiaotian
Lighting Director
Kong Jinlei
Editorial Production Assistant
Song Shan-Ming
Dresser
Huang Baorong
Wang Chi-Min
Jinming Jiang
Sandy Lam Yik-Lin
Songs
Music
Zhang Jinting
Jing Tao
Chen Changmin
Costume Design
Fang Qing-Shan
Makeup Artist
Xu Guang-Rui