Original subtitles

- Did you manage to find info? - He's in town, Mme Shu.

- He'll be here soon. - Then tell the girls,

tell them to comb their hair, to put on their

best perfumes, and their most lovely dresses.

- Of course. - Go.

Have the red private room ready with silk linen and incense,

- lavishly. - Yes, madam.

l want His Excellency to find this house

even more comfortable than the lmperial Court.

Pretty please, girls. You know, a Mandarin is coming.

l have to go to the kitchen now.

So, a thirty-odd oysters as well as red shrimps,

- shark's fin, plover eggs... - Have some turtle soup ready too.

- Yes madam. - l've heard the mandarin is fond of it.

As you like, madam.

Everything should be presented in the most refined manner,

and cooked and decorated to the point.

- l took the gold-lined set. - Good. lt must be a memorable lunch.

Yes, madam. By gods, the pan!

Just in time! Great. Memorable. And she tells me now.

- ls he really a mandarin? - Oh, yes.

- Madame? - Good morning. - The Mandarin is arriving.

- Let him in. - By gods, l feel like fainting.

Your Excellency, your visit is an honor for us.

Don't be too modest, Mme Shu. You know very well that your tea house

is deservedly famous thanks to its owner's kindness

and the beauty and virtues of the girls who live here.

Beauty, sir, is like a gem mounted in a ring:

a gem that acquires splendor on the hand of someone who can appreciate.

This only applies to very precious gems.

To this regard, l think it's fair to say that in this remote corner of China

a real treasure is hidden. l hope you'll allow me to show it to you.

Of course l will, madam, l came here on purpose.

l know you come from far away, you must be tired.

Please, put yourself at ease.

My girls will gladly take the travel fatigue off.

Dreaming is free.

ls that good?

Let's go.

- ls he really a mandarin? - lndeed.

The richest and most powerful in the capital.

- He must be an unpleasant geezer. - Yeah, they're all the same.

- On the contrary, he's young and handsome. - ls he?

But he's allegedly very demanding.

He visited all the best tea houses in Shin-ya.

And he didn't find a girl he liked.

- He only has to choose, here. - l am scared, instead.

Then you better avoid him. He's not the kind that likes shy girls.

Even if you say he's young and kind, his rank and renown embarrass me.

l saw him, l'm only worried that he prefers someone else. lt's my big chance!

- Ssh! l hear footsteps. - lt must be Mme Shu.

Come on, girls. His Excellency is anxious to see your graces.

Put on the most transparent dress you've got,

and don't smear your eye make-up.

Yeah, you're perfect. So, in ten minutes everyone ready.

lf it's true that to appreciate joy you need a woman to share it,

then l foresee that today l'm gonna be the happiest man in the empire.

Your Excellency, as you know true happiness is the child of pleasure.

So l'm gonna offer you the juiciest delights of both palate and love.

Orient Breath is offering you shrimps in a delicate sauce,

a tidbit before a night of love.

Too much precipitation can spoil the pleasure of sweet relaxation.

You will prefer then Morning Pearl.

who suggests swamp eel in turtle broth.

Atruly exquisite dish, like the girl serving you.

When there is such a delicate flower,

it withers before dawn.

lf you are looking for the inebriation of gluttony,

taste these snails in grappa of rose

offered by Dew Drop.

The most exciting sin is to be consummated sober.

Do you prefer the ecstasy of a long night of passion?

Then nothing better than the hot plover eggs proposed by Summer Sun.

Afire too hot can burn those who get close.

Who is that wonderful creature?

Her name is Tama, like the morning star.

She is the most precious treasure in your coffer.

Alas! The rarest jewel can be unreachable.

An enchanted flower. lf she's there,

she must give her graces to those interested.

Not Tama. She's not like the others.

- What do you mean? - She does not sell herself to the highest

- She is special. - Tama. The morning star.

What's so special, except for her unequalled beauty?

- Tama is the angel of desire. - The angel of desire? Please, explain.

You can't just pay and have her.

Only she decides when, how and if offer her body.

- What's the meaning of her dance? - lt's a sort of ceremonial dance.

- lt's called the Choice Dance. - The Choice Dance?

- Tell me about it. -At the end of this dance, Tama

will choose the lucky one who will spend the night with her.

- lf she ever chooses. - For this privilege, l can offer double fee.

No. Tama is like God's love. You don't need to pay for her love.

But l will give her 100, 1000 imperials. l'll cover her with gold.

And l'll get her. - There's no riches whereby you can buy her graces.

But l want her. More than anyone else. l'll have her.

Tama! Shiny light of dawn! Tell me what you want.

And if it is from this world, it will be yours.

Seriously? Me?

l'm very sorry, but... l told you.

You! Come with me.

- Perhaps you don't like me. - No, you are beautiful.

Go on.

What's up, milord, is there something wrong?

No, it's fine. Go on.

Why are you loafing about? Suck!

You're exasperating.

Enough. Enough.

- l can't stand it anymore. - Was l too vehement?

Yes, l mean no. l don't feel like it, today.

- Your body is wonderful. - Look at mine.

You can be. Just be generous.

- Something wrong, Your Excellency? - On the contrary, everything was perfect.

l hope you weren't disappointed in Summer Sun.

Oh no, she's alright.

l hope at least that your generosity compares your satisfaction.

lt's easier to be generous than regretful.

Regretful? Did he tell what was wrong?

What did he mean, then?

Think that l've been traveling all day to get to that stupid village!

- lnconceivable. - lntolerable!

And for what? To be rejected from a tea house girl.

Awhore! Me, the most powerful Mandarin in the empire!

That's absurd!

She rejected my offer and went with a nobody!

- Outrage! - With a penniless skinflint!

l'll go back there.

Oh yeah, l will. Soon.

- Even tomorrow. - l'll buy out Mme Shu and her girls.

- The whole tea house, if this is the case. - The whole village, if this is the case.

Stop repeating whatever l say!

What's in it for you? Split!

We'll see who comes out on top. Who cares for the others?

l want Tama.

And by our Gods, l'll have her.

Pen Tzin! Pen Tzin!

l've come to give you the sublime joy of love.

l'm here for you. You can make your dream true tonight.

l'll be yours.

Yes, it's me. Tama.

The angel of desire chose you. Here l am.

Your Excellency!

What do you want? Do you think this is appropriate?

- How do you dare? -Are you fine, sir?

Certainly! Don't you see l'm in co... l'm sleeping?

- l heard moaning, and l thought... - You must not think!

You're paid to serve me, not to think!

Leave me alone!

l must have that woman. Whatever it takes.

My honor is at stake.

This treasure must be worth a promise of happiness.

You can only speak of money. No riches, though, can unravel the mystery of love.

Come with me.

Please, Excellency, don't go. Come on, come on.

Look at this blossom. l had her come on purpose from Canton.

- lsn't she delicious? - l want Tama.

She and no one else. - The heavens don't always let the yearning man

- and the empowered man be together. - What the man yearns is the woman.

And what the woman yearns is to satisfy his desires.

Tama won't be an exception.

Remember this: the more wealthy, important, and powerful men are,

the more spoiled children they look. They always want the next toy.

So?

Great Mandarin, regarding your desire

to dispose of the income from taxes, duties and tolls,

it's a considerable sum, and then the reason behind this withdrawal...

l don't have to share any of my projects with none of you.

Only with the Emperor. Therefore, l will consider any

interference on your part as an offence.

Yes, of course, Your Excellency, but, forgive me,

according to rumors this money is allegedly destined to... a woman.

Since when do my trusted councilors believe in rumors?

Or you're scheming against me too?

l warn you, traitors are not punished by the whip,

but by death.

Your indignation proves that your motives must be fair.

Well. Prepare the coffer. lt must be ready by dawn.

l must leave for a long travel. Therefore, l must depart in good time.

All right, Your Excellency.

l'll see that you're escorted by trusted armed men.

No need. No one will dare to steal from me in my land.

You can take leave.

Please, let me tell you that you were very good at pretending to get indignant.

As the motto goes, attack is the best form of defense.

Yeah, l believe l've convinced them. So, it's for tomorrow.

- Take two trusted men for the coffer. - Leave it to me, sir.

Let's see if it's true that angels can't be bought.

- Yeah... - l'm happy about that.

-Where is Tama? - ln her room. You'll need to wait here.

Stop you. Tea houses are holy. No one can violate their inner parts,

including you.

Love plus a treasure chest open all doors.

By gods!

My door for sure.

ln front of jewels,

even angels lose their wings.

How miserable is a man hiding behind his conceit.

Come on, Tama, which woman's heart can remain indifferent to such riches?

That chest contains enough treasures to adorn not 1, but 100 women.

- You can't remain indifferent. - Wealth shows what you don't have,

that's why l'm uninterested. And jewels... they burden me.

Listen to me. l offered you a fortune for your favors.

More than what any other woman would ever dare to ask for.

This doesn't make sense. You can't still... reject me.

Have pity on me, Tama, please. l'm getting crazy.

l don't sleep at night because l'm always dreaming of you,

but then during the day l look forward to the night and dream of you again.

- You seriously yearn for me so much? - More than anything else.

-And are you willing to give up your arrogance to have me? - l already did.

- Can't you see how l am humiliated? -And your money too?

- Just say it, and my wealth is yours. - Fine.

- But l must know the gods' will, first. - The gods?

-What do they have to do with this? - l belong to them.

My body, my honor, only those who deserve them can have them.

- Don't you feel like l now deserve them? - Not yet.

A man's virtue is only measured by patience. Patience is the art of waiting and hoping.

You can hope you'll have me only if you pass this test.

Which test?

The test of desire.

Good. You passed the test. Now you can have me.

Let me find you. Let me hug you.

- Use your sixth sense. - There are five senses. Everyone knows that.

There's desire too. Without this, you can never enjoy the others.

See? lt wasn't difficult. Yearning goes beyond appearances.

But this is only the first step towards the happiness l will give you.

Come. Don't be afraid. Let me lead the game.

Here. l want to be yours as no other woman was before me.

l want you to take me with all your senses, but not together.

- One by one. - But this will be a torture, not a pleasure.

Trust me, you won't complain.

Why this bandage? l cannot even see you.

We will play the five sense game. We will satisfy first

the sense of smell. You won't be able to see nor to touch my body.

You can only smell my odors.

What are you doing? Don't tie me, please.

Tama, please, no.

Untie me, please.

Let me touch you, let me see you, let me love you.

l can't resist this sweet torture anymore.

Untie me, l beg you. l'm getting crazy.

Now it's the time of hearing. You'll listen to the music of my body.

Listen to my hand while it slides on the sea of your desire.

My fingers caressing the swamp of your oblivion.

and sink in the well of voluptuousness.

By gods' sake. Shut up, or l'll get crazy.

As you like, my sweet love, but now it's the turn of taste.

From now on, your palate will be satiated with me.

The senses of sight and touch belong to another realm.

No, Tama, where are you going? You can't leave me like this.

Tama! Stop this torture! Stop! Tama!

Come back! Untie me! Tama!

Did you walk paths unknown to pleasure?

Enough now. Don't look for me again.

- No, l must have you first. - What you own entirely

- loses the magic of desire. - Prolonging unfulfilled desire

can lead me to madness. l beg you, Tama.

Don't deny me the joy of tasting your beauty's fruit.

To make love for me

can mean to fall into abysses where not even demons dare.

Where everything and nothing, where love and death,

pleasure and pain reach limits above human understanding.

l am willing to run this risk for you.

There is an enchanted place where vice meets virtue.

Perversion means search for good, and pleasure is total,

unreachable, and absolute. lt's the torture garden.

Please, let me go there.

You don't offer an insect a flower for its own enjoyment.

- lt works all the same for us. - Then, ask me the sun.

Ask me the moon, the bright stars. l will give them to you.

Not those who advance a proposal, but those who yearn for it

can submit an offer.

l told you the way for Paradise,

now you must assess its value.

You want to sell your lands and this palace?

And also the jewels, the palanquins, the slaves,

the horses, and the furniture. All that l own.

ln the name of the gods, sir,

you want to squander your ancestors' patrimony?

When my beloved father, on his deathbed, entrusted me with the leadership,

he did so for you to support my projects, and not to call them into question

- and hinder my will. - No pleasure can match this kingdom's value.

l feel pity for the elders like you who enjoy to dispense advise

just to put up with the fact they cannot set a bad example anymore.

Even though youth's flame is now extinguished for us

age makes up for it by giving us wisdom.

Not only are your faces lined with wrinkles, but also your minds.

Enough with the useless babble you trade for wisdom.

- Execute my orders! -As you like, sir.

We will invite tenders today.

- You're doing all this for her? - For who else?

Her smell is still lingering on my skin. l can't get rid of it.

- lt's like a sweet obsession. -What did she promise you this time?

That she would lead me beyond the limits of human pleasure.

ln the torture garden. What is it?

Milord, renounce this crazy plan. That place is cursed!

Why? What do you know? Speak!

l only know that whoever entered that garden, came out...

if he ever managed to come out...

with his mind obscured by folly.

Don't be silly! Since when you believe in drunkards' stories?

l actually know someone who was there. He used to be a merchant.

Let me see him.

Where... is... my love...

it was taken by the wind.

Leave!

Go away!

That's him.

Nice dress!

Enough! Step back!

She isn't there anymore.

l want to talk to you.

Here you are. lt's for you.

l heard you've been to the torture garden.

- Yeah... - Please, by the name of the gods,

tell me its secrets!

The red room... gathers the sum of all pleasures.

What does it mean... the red room? Speak!

There lies the furthest limit of all desire.

There... love becomes absolute.

What happens there?

What made you like this?

lndescribable sensations... never-seen, unsettling delights...

their memory is like an obsession

and their absence is like a torment...

Tell me, stranger, which obscure magic

induced me to trespass the limit of impossibility?

What meaning can life ever have

for those who, like me, experienced...

...supreme ecstasy?

- No! What are you doing? -Away, milord! Step back!

- Don't drag me away! - Murderer!

Which dark sins...

which perverse love fantasies can unsettle a mind like this?

And why do l feel attracted to them instead of fleeing?

lrresistibly attracted.

No... there's no magic.

l already am crazy.

l became crazy the very day l saw her. l'm crazy about her.

About her beauty, about her charm,

Tama

here l am

ready to sink in the hell of your womb.

Look! The sun is setting.

Also tonight dreams will come out of their secret coffer to enchant

us with their deceitful truths.

Tama. l only have one dream.

This will come true when l can hold you in my arms.

The fruit of love should not be picked when it isn't ripe yet.

My riches are yours now, like my body, my soul even.

What should l wait more for you to extinguish the flame you fired in me?

The moon. She will tell us the site of supreme

delight, with her silver crescent.

lf you are still positive about knowing its unsettling mysteries.

Nothing can now scare me. Nothing is stronger than my desire.

Look. Your love fever turned on the light of night.

- The torture garden is inside a cave? - No, this is just a passageway.

lt will lead you to a secret valley. ln the middle, you'll find an enchanted palace.

lnside it, there are the color rooms: one for each capital sin.

Only if you pass all sweet tortures you'll be able to see the garden stars again.

And you will access the red room.

-What will happen there? - You'll be admitted to the great meal of love

that will open the gates of heaven for you. Only then you can have me.

You'll be inside me forever, and you'll become an angel of desire yourself.

Remember, though: this will be possible only

- Come on, go... - But you're not coming along?

No, l will wait for you there.

Where am l?

ln the yellow room. Yellow is the color of risk,

- of pain; of jealousy. - l don't understand.

You led me here to feel pleasure, not pain.

- What's more, l am alien to jealousy. - That's what you think.

Come and see.

Deng! What are you doing here?

Deng!

Let go of her, you scoundrel!

This is an order! Tama is mine!

Stop this!

You fucking bastard!

lt's too painful to watch you! Now l know what jealousy is!

Who are you? What are you doing to me?

Stop this! No! Untie me!

Untie me, l said!

You said you were alien to jealousy! This is the violet room.

The room of wild lust, of the most morbid and lascivious passions.

Then tell me why you had me tied up.

You promised me ecstasy.

- So far, l've only had torture. - To achieve ecstasy, as you aspire to,

you have to walk down dark and mysterious paths.

Watch, and you'll understand what l mean. - More watching?

Have mercy! Enough.

Untie me!

l can't resist anymore!

This is the room of celestial love, of ethereal creatures,

of incorporeal beauty, of impalpable lust.

What am l to expect now? What should l do?

Here you'll find the extreme pleasure of absence.

What's happening to me? l can't move!

l feel like l'm riveted to the ground! Noo!

Tama...

Please... Please, Tama.

Let me touch you too, sweet creatures. Let me kiss you.

l'm getting crazy! Stop it, l'm getting crazy!

l can't resist anymore!

Tama, where are you?

- The red room! - Very good.

You've come to the red room, the extreme limit of all desire.

This means you learnt to curb your impatience

and you understood that waiting makes desire stronger.

as l promised to you, here l will be your at last.

After the last delight of the great meal of love.

lt won't be another torture, hopefully.

Try and judge by yourself.

You can now be satiated with my body. You deserved it.

- But, to begin with, only by mouth. - Only by mouth?

- Why? - lt will be marvelous.

But l yearn for you so much! Only with my mouth l...

You will be the best prologue to the ritual of supreme love.

The love that will open the heavens' gate for you. - Tama, it's such a long way!

But after that, can l have you? And remain inside you forever?

lt will be an eternal and endless intercourse?

Now come and taste my body.

Enough, please, untie me!

Let me touch you, hug you, and reach the climax of pleasure!

- My head aches! - Drink this potion.

lt will give you the elation of supreme pleasure.

l don't need it! l can bear all kind of test now.

When pleasure is absolute, no one is so strong as to bear its intensity.

Good. Now let desire take its course.

This way only can you understand the peaks love can reach.

l feel... like volcanoes burning inside me.

All its fire is about to erupt!

lt's about to gush out of me

a river of hot lava...

C'mon.

No. The moment has not come yet.

Let me placate the flames of your virility with this ointment.

An odd sensation... lt's as if l were

suddenly drunk...

What strange powers does this ointment have?

l can't feel... the touch of your hands.

Whereas l do want to feel them! l want to enjoy them.

l want to become crazy with your kisses and caresses! - Don't worry.

Another few moments and you'll experience something that human mind cannot conceive.

Divine pleasure. The arcane secret of total love.

lt's as if... my soul were leaving my body.

Or like a river flooding that breaks its banks.

Or like a spring suddenly gushing from a rock.

Here l am, my love. We will be together from now on.

What have you done? Why, Tama?

- Why? - l let you climb the highest peaks of love.

l made you explore the inner recesses of my body

satisfying all your desires. And then, like l promised,

- you are inside me forever. - But now l am not a man anymore!

You will be so much more. Man was created with many limits by nature

impatient in misfortune, ungenerous in prosperity

insatiable in his constant quest to fulfill his desires.

From now onwards, you'll live among the gods

and the world will worship you.

Please, this must be a perfect, memorable

lunch. Easier said than done.

l would never have dared to hope that the imperial guards commander

would pay a visit to this humble tea house.

Soldiers are like sailors, Madame Shu.

They go where the sea is calm, food's good and women are nice,

and some say this harbor can satisfy these three desires.

Your expectations won't be disappointed, Excellency.

Come on, girls. Prepare a sandal, perfumed bath for the commander.

Good morning, Excellency.

l was so anxious to meet you. You're much discussed about.

Come on.

Now we'll relieve all the fatigue of your travels.

How sweet sin is in such a merry company.

By gods! The water's hot. You won't boil it like fish!

Which fish? l feel a naughty snake crawl here.

Looks like a boa to me.

Heavens' gods! This must be an elephant! Let's take it by the trunk.

Girls, please. Not all of you together.

Now the elephant plunges in its pond.

Girls, what is this music?

What is it? Did you lose your tongues?

Atowel, come on.

She's more than beautiful. She's wonderful.

Divine. l want her tonight.

- l'm sorry. No one can choose her. -Why not?

You're not a local. You can't understand.

What is there to understand? l came here to satisfy my desires,

and that's what l will do.

Be careful, a night with her will cost you your mind.

Risk is my daily bread. l can buy her at any costs.

- There's no need of money to have her. - l don't understand.

lf she offers herself for no money, what should l do to have her?

You can only wait and hope.

She decides if, when, and whom will be her partner.

- For one night. - Man has always chosen his partner.

Why can she subvert the rules?

ls it a man dressed as a woman, by any chance?

No, it's not a man, but it's not a woman either.

- What is it, then, by all gods? - lt's an angel.

lt's the angel of desire sent by the gods among men as a gift.

This dance is the choice dance,

at the end of which it will choose the privileged one

that will receive the supreme ecstasy protected by the arcane secrets

of the most sublime pleasure and infinite pain.

Does this celestial creature have a name? l'd like to know it.

lf you really want to know, its name is Fu-Shu.

This name sounds like the promise of love.

You.