Each relationship is manifested appropriately for its age group, but, oddly enough, both portray a kind of purity of emotion that is rarely exhibited in American films, and certainly not in contemporary society in general. Yeah, I don't mean to sound too mushy, but here's a plug for the art of subtlety. During the film, I began to feel as if I was watching an opera. One is unfettered with language and syntax and one's spirit is left free to take flight upon the lyricism of music. Musical movements affect one's emotional body with a purity that is unequaled with any other sense of power.
Music becomes the language of love itself.
It is that fleeting moment when one experiences unadulterated emotion and boundless love. When Chow Yun Fat touches Michelle Yeoh's hand, one senses the power of respect, honor, and true love. So, no wonder the film has such a wide appeal. I've answered my own question as to why the story appeals to every generation. Love is the universal language, beyond time, age, culture and sensibility.