National Customs was the last film that Ruan Lingyu made, and it is dedicated to her memory. After her swansong in ‘New Women’, with its real-life parallels, this film comes like an afterthought, more akin to Xiao Wanyi (Small Toys) which, as it happens, also co-starred Li Lili. These two actress play sisters, Zhang Tao and Zhang Lan, both graduates from Middle School, who are considering what to do with their education. They wind up continuing their education in Shanghai, where Zhang Lan (Ruan Lingyu) pursues her studies in a Spartan fashion, while her younger sister plays around and learns all about ‘being modern’, which seems to consist of wearing makeup and alluring clothes, as well as a freer approach to interaction between the sexes.
