I'm glad that Hulu showed this film because I would otherwise have missed it as this is not my normal cup of tea. It's a beautiful and very moving story, apparently a true one at that, and it's told with much of China's recent history as a backdrop. The actors are fantastic, especially Gong Li in a very complex role, and the kids, gosh the kids... The first part (opera school) is so gripping and moving that I watched the whole film to see what would happen to the characters later in life. Without this introduction, I don't think I would've sat through the film because it lost some steam for me after the protagonists grow up and become famous. I particularly liked the honesty and unflinching eye with which everyone and every historical event was depicted. If you read the reviews, it should be clear that there will be some difficult scenes, and much of the film will feel alien to some viewers. Life wasn't kind to these characters and it would be much harder to understand, or sympathize with, them if external events were shown to us through a rosy lens. I believe that the film tells it like it is, and this may explain some of its reception in China.