"Three Times" is a trilogy of films that Hou Hsiao-hsien directed between 2005 and 2006. The series consists of "Goodbye to Language," "The Flight of the Red Balloon," and "The Man from Mo-i." While each film can be appreciated as a standalone work, together they form a cohesive whole, exploring the intricacies of love, memory, and the passage of time.
The third segment is the most controversial and the most heartbreaking. It is set in contemporary Taipei (2005). Chang Chen plays a photographer named Zhang. Shu Qi plays a singer named Jing. But Zhang is also a young man haunted by a past life—or is it a dream? The segment blurs reality, hallucination, and memory. three times hou hsiao hsien
Three Times doubles as a microcosm of Taiwan's modern history. By selecting 1911, 1966, and 2005, Hou highlights pivotal cultural shifts: "Three Times" is a trilogy of films that
represents the twilight of traditional Chinese culture under Japanese colonial rule, where intellectuals dreamed of national sovereignty. It is set in contemporary Taipei (2005)