It is documented that the Chinese Empress Cixi, who lived from 1838 to 1908 fell in love with a eunuch in the Forbidden Palace in Peking. A very unlikely event indeed. This eunuch who excessively catered to the Empress's fantasies with poetic scenarios, then metaphysical fantasies that excited and stimulated her intelligence and temporarily distracted her from her very active political life, resulted in a mutual love affair. Due to their enormous differences in status and the rigid conservatism of Chinese society this relationship was considered impossible, unlawful and subversive. In this film the complex real-life story of the tragic love affair that really happened has been reduced to its essential elements, consolidating several historical figures into single characters, and treating the events somewhat as a 19th century violent tragic fairy tale with many of the characteristics you might find in the stories of Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grim. There are poisoned apples here, exploited children, human remains buried in plant pots, appalling violence, excessive love, luxuriant landscapes backed by the enigmas of the Natural World that is entirely indifferent to the whims of mankind whose existence in the world is ephemeral and no doubt will soon be passing away.