#1 of 3 #1 Chinese-language movie of 1991
1991 · Drama
$2.6M worldwide · 55% of the chart's total
$2.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Chinese box office · 1991
Chinese Box Office 1991: Highest-Grossing Chinese Movies
Raise the Red Lantern (1991) is the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie released in 1991, with $2.6M worldwide, ahead of Ju Dou (1991) at $2M and A Brighter Summer Day (1991) at $117.4K. 3 Chinese-language films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $4.7M in all, 98% of it from the US & Canada.
- 1991 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $4.7M
- Raise the Red Lantern (1991), the #1
- $2.6M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 98%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Chinese Hits of 1991?
Raise the Red Lantern (1991) leads with $2.6M, 55% of the total. The top 3 together took $4.7M, almost all of what the 3 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Chinese Release of 1991, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1991.
- 1 Sep 10, 1991 US and Canada: $2.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.6M
- 2 Apr 1, 1991 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M
- 3 Jul 27, 1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $117.4K
By release month
Which Month of 1991 Earned the Most?
September releases took the most, $2.6M from 1 film, led by Raise the Red Lantern (1991). July was the quietest month ($117.4K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr Ju Dou (1991) $2M Ju Dou (1991)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul A Brighter Summer Day (1991) $117.4K A Brighter Summer Day (1991)
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep Raise the Red Lantern (1991) $2.6M Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1991 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1984 earned the most: $23.8M from 2 films, led by Unfaithfully Yours (1984). 1991 took $4.7M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1983 1 film | 1 | $37.5K | – | That Day, on the Beach (1983) $37.5K |
| 1984 2 films · +63352% | 2 | $23.8M | +63352% | Unfaithfully Yours (1984) $19.9M |
| 1985 1 film · −100% | 1 | $35.3K | −100% | Taipei Story (1985) $35.3K |
| 1986 1 film · +22023% | 1 | $7.8M | +22023% | The Best of Times (1986) $7.8M |
| 1987 1 film · −100% | 1 | $2.6K | −100% | Daughter of the Nile (1987) $2.6K |
| 1988 1 film · +4005% | 1 | $108.4K | +4005% | Red Sorghum (1988) $108.4K |
| 1989 2 films · +104% | 2 | $220.8K | +104% | A City of Sadness (1989) $143.2K |
| 1990 2 films · +6987% | 2 | $15.6M | +6987% | Revenge (1990) $15.6M |
| 1991 3 films · −70% | 3 | $4.7M | −70% | Raise the Red Lantern (1991) $2.6M |
Archive
Chinese Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1947 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $4.6B, led by Ne Zha (2019).
2020s 7 years · $14.3B
2010s 10 years · $19.3B
- 2019 $4.6B #1 Ne Zha (2019)
- 2018 $3.5B #1 Operation Red Sea (2018)
- 2017 $3.2B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $2.2B #1 Monster Hunt (2016)
- 2015 $2.6B #1 Lost in Hong Kong (2015)
- 2014 $1.1B #1 Journey to the West (2014)
- 2013 $1.3B #1 Lost in Thailand (2013)
- 2012 $289.1M #1 Chinese Zodiac (2012)
- 2011 $325.1M #1 Beginning of the Great Revival (2011)
- 2010 $281.6M #1 If You Are the One 2 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $1.7B
- 2009 $205M #1 Red Cliff (2009)
- 2008 $681.4M #1 Sex and the City (2008)
- 2007 $184.4M #1 Lust, Caution (2007)
- 2006 $130.2M #1 Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
- 2005 $140.6M #1 Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
- 2004 $120.8M #1 House of Flying Daggers (2004)
- 2003 $5.4M #1 Sweet Sixteen (2003)
- 2002 $7.4M #1 Lan yu (2002)
- 2001 $16.2M #1 In the Mood for Love (2001)
- 2000 $216.8M #1 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
1990s 10 years · $172.5M
- 1999 $28.5M #1 Election (1999)
- 1998 $1M #1 Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl (1998)
- 1997 $36.2M #1 Addicted to Love (1997)
- 1996 $26.9M #1 Eye for an Eye (1996)
- 1995 $3.2M #1 Shanghai Triad (1995)
- 1994 $9.7M #1 Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
- 1993 $27M #1 Undercover Blues (1993)
- 1992 $19.6M #1 Hero (1992)
- 1991 $4.7M #1 Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
- 1990 $15.6M #1 Revenge (1990)
1980s 9 years · $46.7M
- 1989 $220.8K #1 A City of Sadness (1989)
- 1988 $108.4K #1 Red Sorghum (1988)
- 1987 $2.6K #1 Daughter of the Nile (1987)
- 1986 $7.8M #1 The Best of Times (1986)
- 1985 $35.3K #1 Taipei Story (1985)
- 1984 $23.8M #1 Unfaithfully Yours (1984)
- 1983 $37.5K #1 That Day, on the Beach (1983)
- 1981 $14.5M #1 Rich and Famous (1981)
- 1980 $228.5K #1 Haunted Tales (1980)
1970s 3 years · $18.2M
1960s 1 year · $134
1950s 3 years · $216.1K
1940s 1 year · $10.6M
FAQ
Chinese Box Office 1991: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie in 1991?
Raise the Red Lantern (1991) leads with $2.6M worldwide, $2.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Ju Dou (1991) at $2M and A Brighter Summer Day (1991) at $117.4K.
How much did Chinese-language movies released in 1991 earn?
3 Chinese-language films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $4.7M in all, or $1.6M per film on average.
How many Chinese-language movies released in 1991 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Raise the Red Lantern (1991), earned $2.6M.
How is the 1991 Chinese box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1991. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the 1991 Chinese box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.