Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Lao San leaves Jing Qiu because he is diagnosed with leukemia and knows his illness is terminal. Rather than making her watch him deteriorate and burden her with his death, he chooses to spare her the pain by separating. His departure is an act of love and sacrifice, he wants her to remember him as he was, not as a dying patient. He also fears becoming a burden to her family during a time when they are already struggling.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Lao San demonstrates his sense of responsibility and honor, foreshadowing his decision to protect Jing Qiu from hardship even at the cost of his own happiness.

• lao san
• leukemia
• separation
• sacrifice
• illness

Jing Qiu is sent to the countryside as part of the Chinese Cultural Revolution's policy of sending educated urban youths to rural areas for re-education through labor. This was a government-mandated program that required young people from cities to live and work in villages. Her family's political background, her father was imprisoned as a political prisoner and her mother was labeled a capitalist, made her particularly vulnerable to being sent away.

• cultural revolution
• re-education
• countryside
• political persecution

The Tree of Heroes is a hawthorn tree in Xiping village that is said to have grown nourished by the blood of Chinese martyrs executed during World War II. It serves as a symbol of sacrifice, endurance, and the heavy weight of history on ordinary lives. Throughout the film, it frames the couple's romance and acts as a silent witness to their love, connecting their personal story to the larger themes of sacrifice and memory.

Foreshadowing: The tree is introduced when Jing Qiu first arrives, establishing its symbolic importance early in the narrative.

• tree of heroes
• hawthorn tree
• symbolism
• sacrifice
• martyrs

Jing Qiu says "I am Jing Qiu" as she holds the dying Lao San because she wants to remind him of who she is before he passes. By repeating her name, she is reaffirming their bond and her identity as the person he loved. The repetition carries the weight of a lifetime of longing, it is both a farewell and a declaration that she will always remember him and their love.

Foreshadowing: Throughout their relationship, Jing Qiu and Lao San exchange names and promises, building toward this moment of identity confirmation.

• i am jing qiu
• farewell
• dying scene
• confession
• identity

Both families oppose the relationship due to their contrasting political histories and the strict class divisions of the era. Lao San's father held a high military position, while his mother was branded a rightist and died after being persecuted. Jing Qiu's father was a political prisoner and her mother was labeled a capitalist, forcing her into grueling labor. In the politically charged atmosphere of the Cultural Revolution, such family backgrounds made relationships between people from different political statuses dangerous and socially unacceptable.

• family opposition
• class divide
• political backgrounds
• rightist
• capitalist

Lao San promises to wait for Jing Qiu until she comes of age because he is genuinely committed to their future together. He is older than her and understands that she is still young. The promise represents his dedication to their relationship despite the political and social obstacles they face. It also reflects his hope that their love can endure beyond the current turmoil and that they can build a life together once she is legally an adult.

• promise to wait
• commitment
• coming of age
• dedication

The film does not specify a cause for Lao San's leukemia, it simply strikes him as a devastating and random tragedy. In the context of the story, his illness represents the cruel unpredictability of life during this era, where young people were already facing immense hardship. The leukemia is presented as a cruel twist of fate that shatters the couple's plans for the future, emphasizing the theme that love cannot always overcome circumstance.

• leukemia
• illness
• cause
• disease

Their reunion happens in the hospital because Lao San has been battling leukemia privately after leaving Jing Qiu. By the time they are reunited, his condition has deteriorated severely and he is dying. This is the last opportunity for them to see each other before he passes. The tragic timing underscores the film's themes of sacrifice and the fragility of life, the love they shared survives, but they are denied the chance to build a life together.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Lao San leaves to fight his illness alone, and Jing Qiu searches for him before finding him in this final state.

• hospital reunion
• final meeting
• dying
• last goodbye

The Cultural Revolution creates the social and political constraints that define their relationship. The class-based society means their families' political histories threaten their futures if discovered. The policy of sending educated youths to the countryside brings them together, but also keeps them in a state of uncertainty. Their love must navigate the dangers of being labeled as inappropriate relationships during a time of intense political scrutiny. The era's turmoil shapes every decision they make.

• cultural revolution
• political constraints
• class oppression
• historical context

Jing Qiu wants to become a teacher to support her family and contribute to her community's future. Her family has suffered greatly from political persecution, her father was imprisoned and her mother was forced into grueling labor. Becoming a teacher represents her path to improving her family's circumstances and making a meaningful contribution to society. It also reflects her personal ambition to build a life beyond the hardship she has experienced.

• teacher ambition
• family duty
• education
• ambition