It is an urban historical novel spanning the late Qing Dynasty to modern times, telling the story of the intertwined destinies of several generations in Beijing. From the declining aristocracy in the late Qing Dynasty to the turbulent years of the Republic of China, to the construction and reform and opening up of New China, the protagonists struggled, made choices and grew up in the torrent of the times. The novel takes the Gu family as the core and depicts the love, hatred, family and country feelings of Gu Changqing, Gu Manshu, Gu Qingyu and other characters. In the face of war, change and the wave of modernization, they demonstrated tenacity and compromise, inheritance and innovation. Through delicate psychological description and vivid historical background, the work shows the changes in Beijing and the complexity of human nature, and outlines a magnificent picture of the city's past.
