以半剧情、半纪录方式刻画昆曲世界。片中展现了体现昆曲神韵的两出精彩折子戏──《烂柯山.痴梦》和《紫钗记.折柳阳关》，《痴梦》中的崔氏由著名昆剧艺术表演家张继青扮演，《折柳阳关》中的霍小玉和李益由苏州昆剧院的王芳和赵文林饰演，影片中同时融入了主角对于昆曲的赏析，及他们的日常生活情景、在苏昆剧院台前幕后的排戏场景。 In Breaking the Willow, tells the story of two Chinese women, of different dynasty & society, their personal link to a bejeweled Phoenix Tierra. Cui, a woman of humble background, who divorce her husband to marry again for comfort, who dreams her husband will gain title and bring the official Phoenix Tierra to honor her. One day her dream come true but is too late. Hsiao Yu, a beautiful songstress from a royal decent of the past dynasty, meets the First Scholar and falls in love. The day after their wedding, the husband is called for the frontier. The fallen Princess wears her Phoenix Tierra to bid him fare well poetry.