
A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.

During the Japanese occupation of China, two prisoners are dumped in a peasant's home in a small town. The owner is bullied into keeping the prisoners until the next New Year, at which time they will be collected. The village leaders convene to interrogate the prisoners. The townspeople then struggle to accommodate the prisoners. One is a bellicose Japanese nationalist, the other a nervous translator. Will the townspeople manage to keep the prisoners until the New Year?

Shanghai, China, 1930. When young Shuisheng arrives from the countryside, his uncle Liushu puts him at the service of Bijou, the mistress of Laoda, supreme boss of the Tang Triad, constantly threatened by his enemies, both those he knows and those lurking in the shadows.




A young carpenter is in love with a girl from the village of Erhai but she wants a wealthier suitor while another girl loves the carpenter but knows he doesn't love her.

In the spring of 1949, a war is about to happen between the Liberation Army and Kuomintang Army on the Yangtze River. The Liberation Army dispatches a reconnaissance to scout the southern parts of the River, whose work is actually full of hardships and dangers. However, with the help of the local crowd and the guerrillas, finally, the members of the reconnaissance succeed in the commission and offer valuable information to the Liberation Army, making great contributions in the war.


A soldier finds his new role in the transition from war time to the construction era.


The Min River is crucial for Fujian Province’s economy. In 1947, Lin Sen Guan, a Communist Party member and driver of the “Fuzhou” steamship, smuggled weapons and radios to a guerrilla base with fellow party members. The enemy, led by transportation inspector Wang Xun, sent spy Li Boguang to monitor them. Lin Sen Guan tricked Li Boguang, but the spy later discovered the weapons. Lin Sen Guan pushed him into the water, witnessed by helmsman A Wang, who refused to reveal the truth despite enemy pressure. The underground party decided to transport remaining weapons to the guerrilla zone. The “Fuzhou” set sail, followed by enemy ships. Near Luohan Tan, a guerrilla team unloaded the weapons. The enemy opened fire, but A Wang steered the “Minh River” into an enemy vessel, causing mutual destruction. The weapons reached the guerrilla zone, and Lin Sen Guan continued their underground efforts.

The film begins following the British victory of the first Opium War and the seizure of Hong Kong. Although the island is largely uninhabited and the terrain unfriendly, it has a large port that both the British government and various trading companies believe will be useful for the import of merchandise to be traded on mainland China, a highly lucrative market.

A professor of East China University and his family become supporters of the Communists after America supports the Nationalists.
