All I can remember is that it was either Japanese or Chinese. It was about a woman that married a man with many other wives. One of them had been exhiled in a tower, I think. They all had there own little houses with a courtyard in the center. The main character fakes a pregnancy to gain the attention of the man and when she is found out they put black covers over her lanterns and no one is allowed to talk to her. It is as if she is dead.

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raise_the_Red_Lantern)

That's it! Thank you so much! I caught this movie while surfing many years ago and wanted to see the whole thing. Thanks so much!!