A traditional Chinese melodrama of the fifties, Red Bloom in the Snow features Li Li-hua as Snow Blossom, a performer in a small-town folk opera troupe. Unhappily married to the troupe's leader, she schemes to win back her former lover. This jealous and manipulative woman has an innocent side, mirrored in the character of her adopted daughter Petal, whose destiny will in turn mirror her mother's. Though shot on a modest budget, Red Bloom vividly depicts the folk life of northern China against a backdrop of street culture, and colorful renditions of song and Peking opera. The ensemble supporting cast includes a young King Hu. The film marked the directorial debut of Li Hanxiang, who essentially defined the genre of women's melodramas. Li is considered the primary architect of contemporary Chinese cinema, having exerted a powerful influence over the next generation of Hong Kong and Taiwanese directors.