The Crossing I

Nationalist Major General who personally leads bold assaults and rises to lieutenant general. He drives his troops with decisive, relentless leadership, often overruling subordinates. As the Huaihai Campaign unfolds, the cost of his choices becomes ever clearer, until his post is shattered by a tank shell, leaving his fate ominous.

A Japanese-identified artist and the object of Yen’s affection, whose letters and diary anchor a cross-cultural thread through the story. Her presence spans generations as a symbol of memory and longing, connecting lives across borders and colonial histories.

An ethnic Chinese field medic conscripted into the Japanese army, educated and resourceful, navigating divided loyalties. He endures captivity, aids others through medicine, and ultimately dies aboard a sinking ship, his final moment marked by a vision of Masako.

A wealthy Shanghai debutante who becomes Lei’s wife, shaping power dynamics through social status and affection. She discovers Masako’s diary, shaping a bridge between past and present, and seeks inspiration for a song that captures longing across generations.

A signal corps sergeant whose practical loyalty binds him to comrades. He fabricates a family portrait to secure rations, then returns to the front to fight alongside Lei, sharing the burden of duty and risking his life for others. He ultimately delivers Lei’s diary to Zhou, preserving a fragment of their story.

A poor, illiterate young woman who becomes an orderly and then a dancer in Shanghai, turning to prostitution to survive war’s chaos. She pursues reunion with her missing lover, ultimately reuniting with Tong and a child, surviving the shipwreck and finding a new life in the aftermath.