《半生緣》從原著改寫到後代改編，是不斷修正的過程，從《十八春》到《半生緣》，剝落了政治歷史外緣因素的作用，回歸對情愛人生的內在探索，後代影劇編導在自身改編經驗上加以調整，也借鏡於他人的改編成果。許鞍華電影《傾城之戀》刻意鋪陳時代背景和外在環境，《半生緣》轉為著重情感和內心狀態，並透過鏡頭語言寓含獨特視野。林奕華與許鞍華互動微妙，曾參與毛俊輝舞台劇《新傾城之戀》編劇，改編舞台劇《半生緣》借鏡以往經驗，並在形式上尋求變化，賦予多層次的現代意涵。改編電影和舞台劇都刪節枝蔓歸於素樸簡約，淡化時空背景然極力捕捉時光流逝之感。電視劇則和張作精髓背道而馳，走上瓊瑤劇路線。三齣改編影劇風格形式各異，然都將原著重點加以挪移，聚焦於情愛的浪漫和失落的悵惘，迴避了世俗的無奈和現實的妥協。

Ban sheng yuan, from the re-edited version to the adaptation of the later age, is the process of constant revision. From Shi ba chun to Ban sheng yuan, the author takes out the outer cause of political history and returns the story to the inner exploration of love life. When the screenwriter and director in the later age adapt this novel for play or film, they adjust it through their screen writing experiences and learn from other adaptation results. In Ann Hui's movie Qing cheng zhi lian, it emphasizes the era background and the outer environment on purpose. While in Ban sheng yuan, it turns to emphasize the emotions and inner feelings and imply the unique sights by way of the cinematographic language. The interaction between Edward Lam and Ann Hui is subtle. Besides, Edward used to be the screenwriter of Mo Zeon-fai's play Xin Qing cheng zhi lian. Therefore, when adapting Ban sheng yuan, for play, he not only learns from his previous experience but also seeks for the change in form and endows it with the diverse modern meanings. The adapted play and film change the complex texture to the plain plots, weaken the era background and yet try best to capture the feeling of the fleeting of time. Compared with the core of Chang's novel, the soap opera version totally runs in the opposite direction and tends towards the Ching-Yau style. The styles in three film and play adaptations are totally different, but they all move the core of the original around, focus the story on the romantic love and the sadness of loss and avoid or delete the feeling toward the protagonist in having no choice but to accept the secular reality.