In 1880s Shanghai, four elegant brothels, each with its own madam, courtesan, and young girls in training, thrive amidst a stifling atmosphere reminiscent of Chekhov's works. The women, including the aging Pearl and the willful Jade, navigate their lives, with some seeking freedom, others despairing, and a few conniving to improve their situations.

Flowers of Shanghai
In Shanghai's lavish "flower houses", intricate narratives of love, loyalty, and deception are masterfully intertwined.