The Warmth of Life in the Courtyard

In an ordinary village on the eastern Henan plains called Huaishu Courtyard live an elderly couple, Li and Wang, their son Li Jianguo, his wife Zhang Guilan, and their four growing children: Li Dajun, Li Erjun, Li Sanya, and Li Sigou. The family of eight is crammed into a few old tiled houses. Every day, the clatter of pots and pans, the children’s squabbling, and the elders’ nagging fill their home, painting a lively picture of rural life, with all its ups and downs.

This is no earth-shaking legend, but a portrait of millions of rural families. In the everyday bustle of Huaishu Courtyard, there is laughter and tears, arguments and warmth, helplessness in the face of life, and, above all, hope that never dies. In the plainest language, it gets to the heart of life: the days may be a mess, but the light of family gathered around the table will always give you strength to carry on.