The great Chairman Mao taught us...
to develop sports to strengthen our physique
and the stay on our toes you safeguard our country
Now we start the exercises
One, two, three, four
five, six, seven, eight
two, two, three, four
five, six, seven, eight
three, two, three, four
five, six, seven, eight
four, two, three, four
five, six, seven, eight
Stretch...
As l look back, l realize that this was the moment...
...When Xiu and l left our childhood behind
From that day on,
The girl whom everyone nicknamed Xiu Xiu
occupied my entire being
Once you're away,
you'll be on your own
l won't be able to look after you
Dry your hands before grabbing the soap!
it lasts longer that way
We just a family only four members
We only get two bars of soap each month
The toilet paper out there is very coarse,
so l exchanged sugar coupons
for extra toilet paper
Use this when your period comes, uh?
Use that kind of paper
Be sure that
Be sure to dry this under the sun
That kills the germs
Here, let Mom help you
This is so heavy!
You've mixed in too much cold water!
it shouldn't be too hot!
Xiu Xiu!
When Xiu!
Just sit still!
Tell him I'm coming!
is he crazy about you?
Don't say things like that!
Close your eyes!
Everyone is signing up, so l signed up, too
it’s like being in the army
We even get military uniforms!
l don't have much to give you
This is for you
What is it?
You'll see
Let's write, then!
i've got to go now
Let me help you!
is it done, yet?
Take a break, have some tea
Let me see
isn’t it too small? Our daughter's a big girl now
it’s fine
Make a few more
Who knows when we'll see her again
l know. l know
What's happen today?
''l know, l know!'' is that all you can say today?
Well, our baby's leaving. I’m feeling sad
Come on, drink it
I'll try it on!
Dad, you're so talented!
Look at how smug he is!
That night,
l stood outside When Xiu's windows for a long time
Later...
l often waited there,
...just like that night, as if in a trance...
As if in a trance...
Beyond the land people living together
We are going to a place
we might be as a community with natives
Like plants breeding and growing up over there
Going to farm on boundary sides
anywhere in our nation is need us
That dress is yours
it’s so big, it's mine...
Sister!
Come up quickly!
Your sisters calling you!
Keep in queue, in queue
When Xiu
Follow in here to going to the truck
Keep in queue!
l wanted to leap on the truck
and leave with her
but courage failed me
Like a small group of my friends,
l managed to stay in the city through family connections
l couldn't help thinking this might have been the moment...
when l lost When Xiu forever...
Goodbye
l can’t see her where?
Goodbye°K
Which one is?
Goodbye! Don't cry, don't cry!
Goodbye°K
The movie's starting!
We're taking a short cut! Anyone want to race us there?
Xiu Xiu, I’ll wait for you at Headquarters!
Who's that man with Chen Li?
l don't recognize him
She knows too many people!
Let's get going. The movie's starting!
We better follow her to make sure...
Let's go, let's go! We'll miss the movie
Bastard!
Fuck your ancestors! Go feel up your own grandma!
Dare to leave your claws where they were?
l did it, so what?
You filthy scum!
Who wants feel you up?
it is you
You dirty bastard!
Take a look at my wife's photo!
Why would l bother with someone as ugly as you!
Keep your hands to yourself, jerk!
Chen Li... Chen Li...
When Xiu was never wrote to me.
Chen Li was never found
l endlessly worried about When Xiu,
and chased down any scrap of news l could get of her
There were long periods without any news of her
But l conjured up the most vivid scenes
of her life on the grasslands...
based on stories from those who had returned
Come on in, comrade!
We've read your files
and all your informations
You've been an-exemplary worker.
Very impressive!
We're sending you to learn horse herding
When you return,
you'll organize the Educated Youth girls...
to form an all girl cavalry
completing with the Iron Girls Cavalry!
Lao Jin! Come in for a second!
Lao Jin is a good comrade
Not a single bad mark in his file...
in twenty years
He's even been awarded two honors!
Nothing to worry about!
Loa Jin's just a little different...
Over twenty years ago...
Accountant Cao!
Mind your own business
How come everyone says...
Lao Jin's different?
Rumor had it that at the age of eighteen,
Lao Jin was already hailed as the best rider and rifleman...
...across the grasslands
During a brutal Tibetan tribal war,
Lao Jin was taken prisoner...
and lost his manhood...
with one slice of a sharp knife
Can't marry or have kids, that's all
Everyone here knows about it
There's only one tent?
Just one tent? How the hell are we supposed to live!
What's in it?
Try it
What is it?
Won't poison you
Wild onions
All you Chengdu girls like to wash!
Go back!
l don't know the way back!
l was just fine at the factory
What the hell...
did they want me out here for?.
Now I’m as useful as dog shit!
What?
Dog shit!
Lice!
You know, fleas, lice?
We don't have lice out here. Even the horses don't have lice
But my whole body itches
isn’t this for scratching horses?
l bet...
...you've never bathed in your entire life
l don't like bathhouses
See? You've never taken a bath!
I just took one when it rained
With the horses?
Lao Jin
Do you know the difference between humans and apes?
When they scratch themselves,
watch,
humans scratch in this direction;
and apes, going up in the direction of their hair!
My dad does the best imitation!
Why'd you stop?
No more singing, gotta work
But you sing so well,
much better than the loudspeaker at Headquarters!
What is it?
A Kangba love song
l mean, what are you digging?
What does it look like?
it’s almost long enough for a coffin!
What is it?
You'll see
The sun is too much!
Lao Jin
Come and take a look!
l bet you've never seen anything this beautiful!
Now you've ruined it!
The pattern's gone!
Serves you right!
Wind's too strong
Lao Jin, is that gold tooth of yours real?
Of course
You're bluffing me
My mother left me here gold earrings
l was afraid of losing it, so l had it made into a tooth
Earrings?
You'd look much better without it
At your age and you don't
have anything?
Other herders your age all have
at leave a watch or a radio
I’ve got one
Here
You don't have anything!
Should be warm now
What's warm?
Go take a look
Lao Jin, you're so kind!
Lao Jin. I’m taking my clothes off now
How can l do that with you around?
Go tend the horses
Those few have been bothering...
my horse Da Ching
l can't see you
I’m not washing then!
The clouds are coming this way
Don't turn around
Your eyes will rot if you peek!
Lao Jin, sing me another song!
Here come the clouds
You're peeking!
l didn't see a thing!
Your eyes will rot!
Lao Jin, we're taking these yaks to the slaughterhouse
Don't come up here!
Do you want ribs or legs?
Lao Jin, why the hell were you squatting like that?
Taking a piss?
Lao Jin, they say you pee like a woman!
Go away!
Lao Jin,
they're coming up from that side!
You dare shoot at
retired PLA soldiers!
Just wait
Just wait, you old gelding!
Wait for what?
For you to come bite off my balls? Come on then?
Let's test your teeth!
l left my shoes out to dry
Now there's only one left!
Maybe the wind blew it away
Silly, what wind?
Must've been stolen
Not a single soul around. Who could have stolen it?
And who steals just one shoe?
They were my favorite. l hardly wore them
it must have been stolen
Nonsense. I’ve never seen a single person out here!
You don't see him, but he sees you
Maybe someday he'll come
claim you with that shoe
That's the custom here
lf you like a particular girl, you steal one of her shoes
Which bastard's taken a liking to me?
Chen Li...
l heard from other people that... ...Chen Li was taken to Gansu
She's married off and has a child already!
She'll never be able to go back to Chengdu now
lf it were me,
I'd rather die
Spending a lifetime in a place like this!
At this hour in Chengdu,
the streets are still bustling
All the diners are open
Have you ever had Dongzi noodles?
Dozens of different ingredients!
You have to wait in line
The line goes all the way to People's Park!
The chrysanthemum exhibit at People's Park...
...has hundreds of varieties!
A Tian An Men made entirely from chrysanthemums,
and even an enormous ship!
Dad would put us up on his shoulders so we could see
Dad is the funniest!
Mom never once had
to pay fabric in twenty years
Dad words at a clothing factory
He would save spare fabric from work
At night, he would sew for us
He could make whole outfits...
from scraps!
When Mom scolded him, he'd say:
''Night won't turn into day if a tailor doesn't steal cloth away!''
Xiu Xiu
Lao Jin
you think they're coming to get me today?
They promised...
...l could go back after six months
it’s been exactly 180 days
l won't be able to see Da Ching have her baby...
Can we have breakfast now?
Still cooking
There are still two pieces of candy left from Chengdu
Feed them to my horse Da Ching when she has her foal
Good-bye, Lao Jin!
They still haven't come?
I’ve been waiting for so long! The people at Headquarters must've all died!
Your horse Da Ching just gave birth
it’s sweet little foal
Why the hell should l care?
it rained heavily last night
it changed the course of the stream
And the horses have eaten all the grass here
Tomorrow, we should strike our tent and...
Move again!
They will never find me!
There's no water left for the horses, nor for us
You move
I’m not moving!
Will they come get me tomorrow?
What if they don't?
Then they'll come the day after
Lao Jin
Are you really going to spend your entire life raising horses?
They raise me, too
An entire life in a place like this?
Every place is the same
Lao Jin...
someone's following me!
Who?
There's someone hiding out there
He's got to be the one who stole my shoe!
What shoe?
You said...
...if a guy likes a girl, he would steal one of her shoes...
Did you make it up? Did you?
You made it up!
You fooled me!
How come I’ve never seen you before?
I’m learning horse herding with Lao Jin
That Tibetan Lao Jin?
You know him?
Everybody knows him
He's the one...
who got it chopped off...
Headquarters sent me here first
Later I’ll lead a team of ten female Educated Youth
Have you heard of the While River Iron Girls Cavalry?
The best in the province...
What ''Iron Girls''?
They've long been disbanded
They've been fighting to go home...
For months now
Headquarters is swamped with...
Educated Youth...
...grabbing the precious few return permits
Look,
Those whose parents have connections...
...or money...
...have found their way back
They left before anyone else
Certainly...
pretty girls like you...
...are mostly gone, too
You must be quite popular at Headquarters?
l really don't know anyone
Well, now you know me
lf we had met sooner,
You'd be back in Chengdu by now
with a job and everything!
You know people at Headquarters well?
This...
Hell, everyone knows me!
Even the chief's dog!
They're always begging me for bicycle coupons
laundry detergent coupons,
and leather shoes from Shanghai...
They've got the power, and I’ve got the goods
Everyone's happy
So are there really only a few permits left?
it’s real tight
Chief Yuan's son had one
But then all the Educated Youth were about to riot
So he didn't dare use it
Don't move...
a tiny leaf
in fact,
you're a real honest girl
Anyone else with your looks...
...would have visited the ranch chiefs,
the committee members,
and called them ''uncles''!
l dislike girls who go through the back door
Okay
come look me up at Headquarters!
I’ll get you...
what you need!
Then l really will come look for you
Lao Jin!
You're quite the leisurely one! Roaming all the way out here
No wonder l haven't run into you!
Who are you?
Don't you remember me?
Lao Jin,
aren't you going to say hello?
A storm is coming
l raced to get back here ahead of it
Storm coming?
Then I’d better get going...
You promise you'll come...
...and see me at headquarters
Lao Jin,
come along too
I’ve got a case of Jianzhuang Liquor for you
Lao Jin, he's talking to you!
The storm is coming!
l waited for you all night...
at the Saturday movie...
We almost move our tent today...
No...no...
Don't be afraid
Haven't you been waiting for me?
No... it's not that...
Give it to me,
we'll go back to Chengdu together...
Let's go back to Chengdu together...
Want to buy some honey?
it’s...it's as beautiful as People's Boulevard back home!
Lao Jin, what day is today?
Saturday!
it’s definitely Saturday!
There's movie at Headquarters. Let's go!
it’s more than thirty Li away
lf we ride fast, we could be there is two hours
it’s been so long since I’ve seen a movie!
I’ll go by myself!.
Blackie!
Lao Jin! When Xiu,
are you alright?
l stopped to pee... Blackies just ran off!.
You!
See that? There's a swamp ahead!
How did you end up here?
You could've drowned, if it weren't for Blackie
Come on, we're go back
You said you'd be here last Thursday. it’s Monday already
Look, l knitted this for you!
That damned peddler!
He gave me the wrong directions!
The girl from the powdered milk factory...
Strange, I’ve never seen you before
I just sent two girls back to Chengdu
One word from me, and they're home
This tent is so worn out!
Shame!
The peddler never mentioned this to me
I’ll have a brand-new tend...
delivered this afternoon
Come on, let's have a look inside...
in fact, the peddler...
...he misses you. it's just that he's too busy
There are things he can't do, so he asked me to help
Don't get me wrong
He and l are close pals...
I’m not close to him!
Who the hell is he?
Tough cookie!
There you are!
You're as soft as dough...
I’ll pound you!
I’ll pound the hell out of you!
Lao Jin, is that you?
is there any water?.
l want water
Water's here!
l brought this for you to drink
it was a ten-Li ride
There's still some water left
You want some?
You drink it
Hey, give me my belt!
l need to get back
Just hold up your pants!
How would l explain it?
Stop fooling around!
l wouldn't be able to explain!
Out of water again?
The people who visit me...
...are all very important
How important?
Just very important
lf you want to get back to Chengdu,
You need these people on your side, stamping documents, writing permits
I’m too late
All the other Educated Youth girls
found their way back a year ago
They've probably been assigned...
to work units
Think about it
What's a girl to do?
No money,
no connections,
no powerful parents,
what have l got but myself?.
And you can’t just sleep with this person and not with that person
The ones you don't sleep with will hold you back
A bowl of water's got to be carried evenly, right?
lf you want to go back to Chendgu,
l can take you to Hong Yuan Country
You can catch the bus from there...
What are you talking about?
You've been around for so many years
Don't you know anything?
What could l do in Chengdu?
Without the proper documents,
or permission
you won't get a residence permit or a job
Even the neighborhood committees could send me back!
You just live with your horses
Nothing can possible bother you
Dammit! Where's my shoe?
Where's my shoe?
Lao Jin,
have you seen a shoe?
Whose shoe?
None of your business! Have you seen it or not?
I’m asking you!
I’m talking to you!
Are you an animal?
Can't you understand human language?
There hasn't been any water for days!
What's taking you so long?
You're selling yourself, you know that?
But it won't do you any damn good!
What did you say?
l said...you are a whore!
Not that you're getting any
Lao Jin!
l don't want to go
Forget it. Let's go!
Nothing to be afraid of
Forget it. Let's go!
Open the door!
Where is everyone?
Who're you looking for?.
Who are we looking for?.
Doesn't matter! Just find them!
They're at a meeting
What meeting?
The Educated Youth are rioting
She is...
l beg you, Lao Jin!
Please, let's go...
Open up!
Let's go, l beg you!
Open up!
Who're you looking for?.
You've been raising hell since this morning!
Don't you recognize her?.
Recognize her?.
You really don't recognize her?.
Lao Jin, what's matter...
The hell with it! I’ll kill all of you!
Lao Jin...
Take it easy now, Lao Jin!
Lao Jin...
Please, l beg you...
When Xiu
Maternity Ward
Not a sound from her, huh?
I’m sure...
she made plenty of sounds...
...when she was screwing around...
How could she do that to herself?.
A dead pig feels no pain
She's the fifth girl this week...
Hey, Three Toes, don't be messing around in other people's rooms!
Yes, yes
Six
Seven
Three toes, tell the truth
You shot yourself in the foot, didn't you?
Let's not slander a Third-Ranking Handicapped Person
What do you think so?
You traded those three toes for a Chengdu residence permit
l think it's still a better deal than that poor girl in the other room
Shut up!
He's right about that
Let's go
Take a look!
See this?
With this foot,
standing in line to buy meat?
Hell, l won't even have to stay in line to get into the bathhouse!
Open up!
Lao Jin!
Open up!
Open up, bastard!
What's matter?. Lao Jin...
Open the door! You animal!
Wouldn't matter if it were a horse
She'd still want it
She's bleeding to death. How could she still want it?
Bastard!
Hey, what's going on?
What's going on?
We were having an intellectual exchange!
Anyone else want some?
Wait your turn!
Look! Please calm down. Lao Jin
Lao Jin's first in line,
I’ll touch for it
Who said Lao Jin was a teapot
without a spout?
Take it easy...
When Xiu!
No water...
Three Toes said it won't hurt too much
lf l don't aim right, l might lose all five toes
You'll take me straight to the hospital, right?
Will you swear it was an accident?
Lao Jin, l beg you!
l can't bear to shoot at myself!.
Lao Jin, I’m begging you!
lf you just get one good shot off,
l can go back home to Chengdu!
None of them would help me!
You're the only one who can help me now!
l want to go home, Lao Jin!
Lao Jin, I’m begging you!
Wait!
Her life was brief
But in the story...
l keep writing of her
She lives on