The House That Never Dies
Story based on the legendary mansion at No. 81 on Chaoyangmennei Street in Beijing, which local legend says is haunted by the ghost of a Kuomintang official's wife, who committed suicide in the home around the time of the Cultural Revolution. The film follows Xu Ruoqing a woman whose presence in the notorious mansion draws up the spirits that have taken residence there.
The film earned $65.2M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The House That Never Dies (2014) demonstrates precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Raymond Yip Wai-Man's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 30 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Xu Ruoqing is introduced as a rational psychology student in modern Beijing, skeptical of supernatural phenomena and focused on scientific explanations for human behavior.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when The research team enters the abandoned mansion and Xu experiences her first inexplicable supernatural encounter - seeing an apparition and hearing voices that her rational mind cannot dismiss.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Xu decides to stay in the mansion overnight despite warnings, actively choosing to investigate the supernatural phenomena rather than flee. She commits to uncovering the truth of what happened in 1949., moving from reaction to action.
At 45 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Xu discovers the truth about Ruixin's death - she was murdered by her family for her forbidden love affair. This revelation makes Xu realize the spirits aren't randomly malevolent but seeking justice and resolution., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 67 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, A team member dies during a possession, and Xu herself becomes trapped in a supernatural vision where she experiences Ruixin's final moments of betrayal and murder firsthand. All hope of escaping the mansion alive seems lost., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 72 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Xu confronts the spirits directly, speaking the truth of what happened to Ruixin aloud and honoring her memory. The ritual succeeds, supernatural activity ceases, and the remaining team members escape the mansion as dawn breaks., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The House That Never Dies's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping The House That Never Dies against these established plot points, we can identify how Raymond Yip Wai-Man utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The House That Never Dies within the drama genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Xu Ruoqing is introduced as a rational psychology student in modern Beijing, skeptical of supernatural phenomena and focused on scientific explanations for human behavior.
Theme
A colleague warns Xu that "some houses remember everything that happened within their walls" - suggesting that unresolved trauma from the past demands confrontation.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of the infamous Chaonei No. 81 mansion's history, introduction of the research team, and the dual timeline structure showing 1949 flashbacks of the mansion's original tragedy involving Ruixin and her doomed love affair.
Disruption
The research team enters the abandoned mansion and Xu experiences her first inexplicable supernatural encounter - seeing an apparition and hearing voices that her rational mind cannot dismiss.
Resistance
Xu resists the supernatural explanation, attempting to rationalize the experiences while uncovering more historical documents about the mansion. The 1949 timeline reveals Ruixin's story and the mounting tension between her love and family duty.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Xu decides to stay in the mansion overnight despite warnings, actively choosing to investigate the supernatural phenomena rather than flee. She commits to uncovering the truth of what happened in 1949.
Mirror World
The parallel between Xu's developing feelings for her colleague and the tragic 1949 love story between Ruixin and her forbidden lover becomes clear - both stories explore love confronting impossible circumstances.
Premise
Xu explores the mansion's supernatural mysteries, experiencing increasingly intense paranormal phenomena while piecing together Ruixin's tragic story. The horror elements intensify as the past bleeds into the present.
Midpoint
Xu discovers the truth about Ruixin's death - she was murdered by her family for her forbidden love affair. This revelation makes Xu realize the spirits aren't randomly malevolent but seeking justice and resolution.
Opposition
The mansion's supernatural forces intensify their attacks on the team. Team members are possessed or injured, and Xu's rational worldview completely collapses as she realizes she must confront both the historical injustice and her own emotional barriers.
Collapse
A team member dies during a possession, and Xu herself becomes trapped in a supernatural vision where she experiences Ruixin's final moments of betrayal and murder firsthand. All hope of escaping the mansion alive seems lost.
Crisis
Xu confronts her deepest fears in isolation, processing the traumatic vision and the death of her colleague. She wrestles with whether to flee or face the spirits directly to end the cycle of vengeance.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Xu confronts the spirits directly, speaking the truth of what happened to Ruixin aloud and honoring her memory. The ritual succeeds, supernatural activity ceases, and the remaining team members escape the mansion as dawn breaks.