 Director Cai Chusheng and scriptwriter Sun Shiyi based the plot of "New Women" on the life and death of actress Ai Xia .While Wei Ming, played by Ruan Lingyu was a teacher, Ai Xia was an actress that committed suicide in 1934 at the age of 21 after starring in a movie that she wrote herself called "A "Modern Woman"".Ai Xia was condemned by the popular press when they found out about a single act of prostitution to raise money in order to afford medicine for her sick daughter.