The Road Home

The film opens in 1999, as Luo Yusheng returns home to fulfill a funeral rite. Through flashbacks, the audience learns of the lovers’ romance in earlier years when the teacher was assigned away and later allowed to return, shaping a village legend. The narrative uses color to transform moments of love into living memory, contrasting with the monochrome present.

The story unfolds in a remote village in rural China, where generations live by tradition and memory. The central setting shifts between the bleak present and the colorful past, anchored by village rituals and the old schoolhouse that witnessed the couple’s romance. The community gathers for the coffin procession, highlighting a tight-knit social fabric built on duty and kinship.

⚰️ Tradition

A ongoing ritual to carry the coffin home binds the village together and honors a teacher who shaped generations. Tradition governs who participates, how they are compensated, and how memory is preserved through action. The funeral procession becomes a ceremonial act of communal pride that transcends individual gain.

❤️ Love

The film centers on the unconsummated romance between Zhao Di and Luo Changyu, seen through glances and longing. Their relationship survives distance, punishment, and time, growing into a timeless legend within the village. Love here is both a personal feeling and a cultural memory that shapes future generations.

🎨 Memory and Transformation

The transition from black-and-white to color marks how memory revives the past. The vivid recollection of the lovers changes the present’s perception of family and duty. Color serves as a metaphor for how stories become alive when remembered by those who carry them forward.

🤝 Community

The villagers’ willingness to volunteer as porters demonstrates collective responsibility and respect for tradition. The mayor’s initial attempt to pay the porters is resisted because the act is seen as an honor. The scene emphasizes communal bonds and the importance of shared rituals in rural life.