A City of Sadness (1989) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Wen-liang was arrested because he had worked as an interpreter for the Japanese during their occupation of Shanghai. After Japan surrendered in 1945, the Kuomintang began rounding up anyone suspected of collaborating with the Japanese. His past made him a target for treason charges, leading to his arrest and eventual imprisonment.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Wen-liang's background as an interpreter, which becomes the basis for his persecution.

• wen-liang
• kuomintang
• arrest
• treason
• japanese collaboration

Wen Leung was killed during a gambling dispute with a Shanghainese mob member. The confrontation escalated when he faced off against the gangster at the casino table, resulting in the mob member shooting him dead. This was connected to the broader conflict surrounding his brother Wen-liang's illegal activities with the Shanghainese smuggling operation.

Foreshadowing: Tensions between the Lin family and the Shanghainese mob had been building since Wen-liang got involved with their smuggling ring.

• wen leung
• death
• casino
• shanghainese mob
• shooting

Wen-ching initially wanted to join Hiroe in the mountains to fight with the leftist guerrillas, but Hiroe convinced him to return home and marry Hiromi instead. Hiroe believed Wen-ching's duty was to stay and protect his family rather than risk his life in a hopeless fight. Wen-ching eventually agreed, marrying Hiromi and starting a family as Hiroe headed to the mountains alone.

Foreshadowing: Earlier conversations between Wen-ching, Hiroe, and Hiromi establish their triangular relationship and Hiroe's protective feelings toward Wen-ching.

• wen-ching
• marriage
• hiromi
• guerrillas
• hiroe
• choice

The February 28 Incident of 1947 was a massive massacre of Taiwanese civilians by Kuomintang troops. Anger over government corruption and inflation had sparked protests, and KMT forces responded with brutal force, killing thousands of people across Taiwan. The incident marked the beginning of the White Terror period and created lasting trauma in Taiwanese society.

Foreshadowing: The film builds tension through mounting grievances between Taiwanese residents and the arriving mainland KMT forces.

• february 28 incident
• massacre
• martial law
• kuomintang
• white terror

Wen-ching was arrested because of his connection to the leftist guerrilla movement led by Hiroe. After the guerrilla forces were defeated and their members executed, the Kuomintang crackdown intensified on anyone with suspected ties to resistance groups. Wen-ching's prior involvement with Hiroe's network made him a target, leading to his arrest and leaving Hiromi and their child alone.

Foreshadowing: Wen-ching's earlier contact with Hiroe and his support of the resistance network throughout the film establishes the reason for his final arrest.

• wen-ching
• arrest
• guerrillas
• crackdown
• white terror

Hiroe joined leftist guerrillas in the mountains to fight against the Kuomintang regime. However, the guerrilla movement was ultimately crushed by government forces. Most of the fighters were captured and executed. Surviving members told Wen-ching about the defeat and urged him to escape, but there was nowhere safe to go as the crackdown spread across Taiwan.

Foreshadowing: The film's steady escalation of political violence and the growing presence of KMT troops foreshadow the ultimate defeat of the resistance.

• hiroe
• guerrillas
• resistance
• defeat
• execution
• mountains

After being released from the hospital where he was treated for mental distress caused by his arrest and interrogation, Wen-liang became involved in criminal activity. He began stealing Japanese currency and joined a smuggling operation run by Shanghainese associates. His actions were likely driven by desperation and the difficulty of reestablishing himself in a society that viewed former collaborators with suspicion.

Foreshadowing: Wen-liang's psychological deterioration during his hospitalization hints at his fragile state after release.

• wen-liang
• smuggling
• crime
• japanese currency
• shanghainese

The Shanghainese mob arranged for Wen-liang's imprisonment on false charges of collaboration with the Japanese because he had betrayed their smuggling operation. After Wen-liang stole from them and possibly cooperated with authorities, the mob retaliated by having him arrested on trumped-up collaboration charges. In prison, he was tortured and suffered permanent brain damage.

Foreshadowing: The earlier scenes showing Wen-liang's involvement with the smugglers establish the conflict that leads to his persecution.

• wen-liang
• imprisonment
• torture
• shanghainese mob
• brain damage

Wen Leung was the eldest brother and ran a bar called Little Shanghai, serving as the family's primary protector and provider during the chaotic postwar period. He guided his siblings through the turmoil of changing colonial powers, tried to rein in Wen-liang's dangerous activities, and stood as the family's pillar. His death in the casino confrontation left the family without their central figure and deepened their tragedy.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Wen Leung is shown making decisions to protect the family and maintain their stability.

• wen leung
• little shanghai
• family protection
• eldest brother

Hiroe convinced Wen-ching to return home and marry Hiromi because he wanted to protect his friend from the certain death that awaited anyone joining the guerrilla resistance. Hiroe understood the fight was hopeless and chose to spare Wen-ching by urging him to build a life with Hiromi instead. This sacrifice reflects Hiroe's deep care for Wen-ching, even as he leaves him behind.

Foreshadowing: Hiroe's departure to the mountains without Wen-ching demonstrates his willingness to fight alone rather than let his friend die.

• hiroe
• persuasion
• protection
• sacrifice
• hiromi
• wen-ching

The second son of the Lin family served as a military doctor during World War II but disappeared in the Philippines. The family never received clear news of his fate, leaving them with unresolved grief and uncertainty. His absence casts a long shadow over the family throughout the postwar period, representing another loss in a time of widespread disruption and displacement.

Foreshadowing: The film mentions this mystery early on, establishing it as an unresolved family trauma.

• second son
• philippines
• military doctor
• disappearance
• missing

The Kuomintang intensified their crackdown because the February 28 Incident represented a major uprising against their rule. Governor Chen Yi declared martial law to crush all dissent, and the regime became increasingly paranoid about communist infiltration and Taiwanese nationalism. This led to the White Terror, a decades-long period of surveillance, arrest, torture, and execution of anyone suspected of opposition, including the Lin family and their associates.

Foreshadowing: The radio broadcast of Chen Yi's martial law declaration directly sets the stage for the escalating persecution.

• kuomintang
• crackdown
• white terror
• martial law
• chen yi
• repression