As a kiln sister, Xiaodouzi’s mother (played by Jiang Wenli) is unable to raise her children, so she can only ruthlessly send Xiaodouzi to a pear garden to make a living. In ancient times, the troupe's training methods were harsh and cruel. Xiaodouzi, who came from an unclean background, had to endure the well-intentioned but violent training of his master and was also isolated by his peers. Fortunately, with the help of his senior brother, Xiaodouzi, he managed to survive day by day. In protecting and being protected, the relationship between the two goes beyond friends and brothers. The naturally beautiful Xiaodouzi was chosen as a female lead, but she couldn't tell the difference between fake drama and real life. She didn't want to "admit" that she was a daughter in the drama, so she was beaten severely by her master several times. Finally, under the temptation of another opera boy, Xiaodouzi ran away, and Xiaodouzi, who loved him wholeheartedly, couldn't bear to see him suffer, so he risked his life to help. Xiaodouzi, who successfully escaped

encountered a famous Beijing opera actor and listened to a play of Farewell My Concubine. He realized that only through hard work can he achieve artistic success and returned to the theater troupe. In the theater, Xiao Shitou was being beaten for letting Xiao Douzi and Xiao Douzi go. In order to protect his senior brother, Xiao Douzi resolutely took the responsibility. However, his senior brother couldn't bear to see Xiao Douzi being beaten and actually fought with his master. In the chaos, Xiao Douzi escaped with him. The opera boy Xiao Douzi committed suicide out of fear of punishment. In the end, Xiao Douzi, who had experienced the calamity of life and death, understood the master's painstaking teachings: "People have to perfect themselves. If you want to be powerful in front of others, you must suffer behind others!" However, he He still couldn't tell the difference between fake drama and real life, and always stubbornly read the text of the drama wrong. After even his favorite senior brother severely punished him and asked him to "admit" that he was a daughter, he completely believed in his subconscious that he was the daughter. . Actors at that time were promiscuous. Xiaodouzi was insulted by a eunuch after a performance. In grief, he met an abandoned baby by chance. Feeling sympathy for the child, Xiaodouzi insisted on taking him back to the troupe, but he did not know that this child would eventually become a disaster. Spring passed and autumn came, and a few years later, "Farewell My Concubine" co-starred by Xiaodouzi and his senior brother became famous in the capital. Xiaodouzi, whose stage name is Cheng Dieyi, has feelings for his senior brother just like Yu Ji - from the beginning to the end. However, his senior brother, whose stage name is Duan Xiaolou, only regards Dieyi as his younger brother. Not only does he not understand his ambiguity, but he even impulsively agrees to marry her. Marrying the similarly ill-fated prostitute Juxian. Dieyi immediately became jealous of Juxian. After realizing that his careless senior brother was very indifferent to their past, Die Yi wanted to break up with Duan Xiaolou. During a performance, Duan Xiaolou was about to put on his costume when a puppet soldier snatched it away and put it on a Japanese officer. Duan Xiaolou then had a dispute with the puppet soldier and injured the soldier with a teapot. He was imprisoned in a Japanese prison. Cheng Dieyi committed herself to singing opera for the Japanese to save her senior brother, but was misunderstood by the unreasonable Duan Xiaolou. Duan Xiaolou actually married Juxian out of anger, while Dieyi turned to Yuan Shiqing, the only bureaucrat around him who appreciated him in despair, and allowed himself to sink. The two had a quarrel with each other, and the master taught them to make peace. Juxian stopped them, calling the Dieyi Ji "treacherous." This made Duan Xiaolou crazy, and he wanted to beat Juxian, but Juxian almost died. Later, their master died suddenly. Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou re-adopted the abandoned baby that Dieyi had brought back to the troupe many years ago and reluctantly reconciled. After the Anti-Japanese War, the two were forced to sing for a group of undisciplined and unqualified Chinese soldiers. They were molested by the soldiers because of their butterfly clothes. Duan Xiaolou clashed with the soldiers, and Juxian had a miscarriage in the chaos. Duan Xiaolou tried his best to rescue Dieyi, and he humbly begged the bureaucrats who had played with Dieyi, asking him to lie and beg for release. Dieyi remained unyielding, but was rescued by a senior official of the Kuomintang because of his skills. After liberation, their talents were not taken seriously. Cheng Dieyi, who accidentally tasted opium, had a bad voice. He broke his voice during a performance and decided to quit drugs. After suffering from drug addiction, he got help from Duan Xiaolou and his wife. Finally got back on my feet. However, he was framed by a child who was kindly adopted back then. The child was forced to take his place as Yu Ji and perform with Duan Xiaolou. Duan Xiaolou stopped acting regardless of the consequences. Dieyi persuaded him to act for the sake of the overall situation, but he couldn't pass his own test. From then on. Severed diplomatic relations with Duan Xiaolou.

During the Cultural Revolution, Duan Xiaolou was framed by the adopted child and forced him to frame Dieyi. Duan Xiaolou refused and was dragged to the streets. At this time, Dieyi suddenly appeared, dressed as Yu Ji, willing to go with Duan Xiaolou. Being humiliated, Duan Xiaolou saw that Dieyi had thrown himself into a trap, hoping to protect Juxian but had no choice but to frame Dieyi, and even said that he had committed adultery. After hearing this, Dieyi was in pain and thought that Duan Xiaolou only cared about Juxian. Seeing that Juxian, whom he resented, was actually pitying and helping him at this moment, he vented all his anger on Juxian, revealing that Juxian had been a prostitute, and Duan Xiaolou was forced to distance himself from Juxian. At the boundary, Juxian hanged himself in despair. Cheng Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou, who had gone through many vicissitudes of life, performed (rehearsed) "Farewell My Concubine" again eleven years later. Dieyi's emotions were still the same, but Duan Xiaolou suddenly reminded him: he is a man after all. Yes, I am a man, and my love for Duan Xiaolou is just a beautiful and painful extravagant dream. When I finally wake up from the dream, I have devoted my body and mind to it. Dieyi, who did not want to wake up from his dream, would rather fall into the blood-stained love forever like Yu Ji - from then on, he committed suicide with the sword he gave to Duan Xiaolou. At this time, Duan Xiaolou finally realized that he and Dieyi were more than just brothers to Dieyi and him...