'Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose'

Eileen Chang's works are roses with thorns for filmmakers.

Her fictions, the best known being love tales of 1930s-40s Shanghai and Hong Kong, were beautifully written with savvy observations of relationships between men and women. Against the backdrop of a chaotic era, the romance and scheming seem suited to the screen.

Yet her language, so smart and sharp, is an obstacle for filmmakers. And her fans would sneer at any adaptation they think stains the name of the writer.