First original screenplay published in French of a Chinese-language film, the screenplay for the City of Pain (Golden Lion in Venice in 1989), a masterpiece of Taiwanese cinema directed by Hou Hsiaohsien, is given here to read as a literary work. Co-written by Chu Tien-wen and Wu Nien-jen, through the abundant and tragic history of the Lim family, it brings an intimate feeling of the “pains” of the island of Taiwan following the dramatic events of February-March 1947, tragic episode that no film had yet dared to mention.The reader will be able to appreciate the complexity of the political situation and social relations at a time when the Japanese colonizer is giving way to the authoritarian government of the Republic of China. He will (re) discover a brilliant woman of letters well known for her novels and short stories, and a remarkable scriptwriter-dialogue writer (and director). It will also gain access to an in-depth understanding of a powerful and original cinematographic work through its both political and memorial approach.