Song of China

Daughter of the family who must reconcile the modern comforts of city life with the father’s call to service. She embodies curiosity and potential conflict between personal wishes and duty, serving as a bridge between generations. Her choices reveal how youth respond to traditional expectations.

A successful patriarch who believes wealth and influence should be redirected toward the wider community. His calm, patient approach contrasts with his children’s restlessness. He models steadfast adherence to the Confucian ideal of duty beyond family pride.

A source of ancestral wisdom whose dying wish inspires the present generation to serve others. He embodies enduring traditional values and moral authority that transcend his death.

Matriarch who holds family history and comfort, representing the emotional center of the household. She navigates the tensions between city life’s privilege and rural communal needs.

The eldest grandson who grows up amid city pleasures and then faces the pull of the countryside and its duties. His journey mirrors the family’s broader struggle to adapt traditional values to modern life.

A partner who represents the new generation’s perspective on family duty and happiness. She navigates domestic roles and supports the family’s philanthropic mission.

A member of the extended family who participates in or resists the rural transformation, reflecting how in-laws shape intergenerational dynamics. Her stance reveals the social complexity of adopting Confucian principles.

A son whose life in the city contrasts with the father’s rural reform. His character anchors the conflict between personal ambition and communal obligation.

The younger generation member who shows greater openness to traditional teachings, hinting at hope for future generations.

A minor character whose presence at a party underscores the allure of urban social life and the temptations that challenge the family’s values.