Michelle Yeoh as Yu Shu Lien in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
By
Nicholas Raymond
Published Feb 20, 2026, 10:00 PM EST
Nicholas Raymond is an author and journalist based out of Alabama, where he proudly roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. A graduate of the University of Montevallo, he has a degree in mass communication with a concentration in journalism.
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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon may be Michelle Yoeh's greatest contribution to the world of wuxia, but it wasn't the only worthwhile entry into the martial arts subgenre that the celebrated actress was a major part of, nor was it even the first. In addition to the many martial arts movies Yeoh made in the 1980s and 1990s, she co-starred in the 1993 wuxia romance film, Butterfly and Sword.
Directed by Michael Mak, Butterfly and Sword was built around a solid cast of recognizable actors from Hong Kong's film industry, including Michelle Yeoh, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Donnie Yen, Elvis Tsui, and Joey Wong. Similar to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it's classified as wuxia, a medium defined by a heavy emphasis on swordplay and martial arts and an ancient Chinese setting infused with fantasy elements.
Butterfly And Sword Is A Fun Wuxia Romance With Wild Martial Arts Action
Michelle Yeoh in Butterfly and Sword
Butterfly and Sword weaves a complex tale about four assassins hailing from two rival clans in a conflict over a letter in the possession of a eunuch. Playing out amidst all the fighting over the letter is an equally complicated romantic dynamic involving four characters and the theme of unrequited love.
Butterfly and Sword is the second movie adaptation of the 1973 Gu Long wuxia novel, Meteor, Butterfly, Sword. The first was the 1976 Shaw Brothers kung fu movie, Killer Clans.
Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Michelle Yeoh's characters, Sing and Sister Ko, are an assassin duo who disguise themselves as a married couple. However, only one has romantic feelings for the other, as Sing is more interested in the other female lead, Joey Wong's Butterfly. Meanwhile, Donnie Yen's Ye Xiang is hung up on Sister Ko.
Here, Michelle Yeoh puts in a memorable performance as Sister Ko, whose love for the main character adds a sense of humanity to what would otherwise be a calculating and malicious assassin. This aspect of her character leans into another key facet of Butterfly and Sword (and perhaps wuxia in general), which is its unpredictability.
Betrayal is a common trope in wuxia movies, and it's one that Butterfly and Sword utilizes effective in its story, which does well to keep the viewer guessing in regards to where certain characters' real loyalties lie or when they might change. This sets the stage for some interesting plot twists, which are par for the course in the wuxia genre.
Like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Butterfly and Sword navigates its romantic relationships beautifully, while also providing plenty of attention to the action. Butterfly and Sword doesn't hold back when it comes to the over-the-top action sequences that have become a hallmark of wuxia films, with Yeoh's Sister Ko developing an impressive kill count - and with her scarf, no less.
10/10
Butterfly and Sword
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Action Fantasy Adventure Release Date January 16, 1993 Runtime 88 Minutes Director Michael Mak Writers Gu Long, John ChongCast
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Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Meng Sing-Wan
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Michelle Yeoh
Lady Ko
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