Under the Hawthorn Tree

Set during the final chapters of China’s Cultural Revolution, this poignant love story unfolds in a quiet village in Yichang City, Hubei Province, where a close-knit community tense with history and memory becomes the backdrop for a tender romance. The film centers on a beautiful high school student, Jing Qiu Zhou Dongyu, who is part of a group of educated youths sent to the countryside to be re-educated through labor. She arrives in Xiping village, in the Yangtze River region near the Three Gorges, where she is introduced to a symbol of local legend—the Tree of Heroes, a hawthorn tree said to have grown nourished by the blood of Chinese martyrs who were executed during World War II. This striking image lingers as a reminder of sacrifice, endurance, and the heavy weight of history on ordinary lives.

Jing Qiu is placed in the home of the village head, a setting that brings her into contact with Sun Jianxin, a geology student who goes by the nickname Lao San Sun Jianxin. Lao San’s presence is marked by a quiet sense of responsibility and honor, qualities that draw Jing Qiu to him as she starts to navigate the complexities of love amid upheaval. The two teenagers form a bond that feels intimate and sincere, even as they are keenly aware of the obstacles their relationship faces. The village, the family dynamics, and the broader political climate all converge to shape their budding romance, testing their resolve and their willingness to dream beyond the limits imposed by their world.

Behind the romance lies a social tapestry woven from past trauma and present hardship. Lao San’s father once held a high position in the military, while his mother died years earlier after being branded a “rightist.” Jing Qiu’s own family bears heavy scars from political persecution: her father was a political prisoner, and her mother, labeled a capitalist, was relegated to grueling labor to support the family. As Jing Qiu’s family struggles to survive, she grows determined to become a teacher and to contribute to her loved ones’ welfare. The film delves into how these family histories and the scars of the Cultural Revolution press in on personal choices and the course of a young woman’s life.

Despite the danger and the social stigma that could threaten their futures, Jing Qiu and Lao San fall deeply in love, and their relationship continues into the following year. Lao San makes a heartfelt promise to wait for her until she comes of age, signaling a bond that seeks to endure the tests of time and distance. Yet the lovers are pulled between their devotion to one another and Jing Qiu’s filial duties, a delicate balance that weighs heavily on both of them. The emotional core of the film rests on this tension—that love can be a source of strength and a painful reminder of the sacrifices demanded by family obligations and social expectations.

The story takes a devastating turn when Lao San contracts leukemia, a revelation that shatters the couple’s sense of security. He makes the painful choice to leave Jing Qiu as he battles his illness, a departure that Jing Qiu does not understand at the time. The separation is fueled by fear, illness, and the cruel reality of a life cut short, and it tests Jing Qiu’s faith in their shared dream. As the days pass, Jing Qiu searches for him, clinging to the hope that love can prevail even in the face of an incurable disease. The emotional weight of the narrative deepens as the couple’s memories, promises, and shared plans become fragile threads that threaten to unravel.

The culmination of the film is intimate and heartrending. Jing Qiu is eventually reunited with Lao San, but only as he lies dying in a hospital. The moment is quiet and devastating, a stark contrast to the warmth of their earlier days. In the film’s closing scene, Jing Qiu, in a voice full of sorrow and confession, calls out to the dying man with the simple, unforgettable words: > I am Jing Qiu, I am Jing Qiu. The repetition carries the weight of an entire life’s longing, a testament to a love that endured beyond circumstance and time, and a farewell that neither character could have anticipated.

The cinematic tone of the film blends lyrical imagery with grounded realism. The rural setting—its landscapes, its houses, and its daily rhythms—serves as a counterpoint to the inner storms of the protagonists. The Tree of Heroes, the memory of political upheaval, and the generational divide all contribute to a narrative that is at once intimate and sweeping: a love story written in the margins of history, a coming-of-age tale that refuses to be hurried, and a meditation on the ways in which devotion and sacrifice can define a life. The performances capture a quiet authenticity, revealing Jing Qiu’s resilience and compassion as she navigates the pressures placed upon her by family, culture, and circumstance, while Lao San embodies a steadfast, honorable heart that remains resolutely devoted even as his body fails him.

Throughout, the film treats its themes with a measured, compassionate realism. It does not sensationalize the era or its political shadows; instead, it unfolds the personal consequences of a society in flux. The relationship between Jing Qiu and Lao San becomes a lens through which viewers witness the cost of longing in a period where young lives are shaped by larger forces. The result is a narrative that feels both universal in its exploration of first love and loss, and intimately specific in its portrayal of two young people whose commitment outlives their own lifetimes.

This is a story about memory, duty, and the endurance of affection under pressure. It’s about how youth confronts history, how love can prosper in the face of social constraints, and how the human heart seeks to hold on to what matters most, even when the world around it refuses to stand still. The final image—Jing Qiu’s quiet, unanswerable call—lingers, inviting contemplation about what it means to be seen, to be remembered, and to carry a romance into the years that follow.

— The film’s core moments are anchored by the performances of the lead cast, whose on-screen chemistry makes the love story feel both delicate and real. The emotional resonance is amplified by the backdrop of a nation’s tremulous history, giving the romance a sense of gravity that lingers long after the credits roll.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:55