Snow Waves and Moonlight on the River

As the flames of war spread in the late Ming, the Lin family fled north from within the passes to Xuelang River beyond them. There, they clashed over land with the local Erke clan of the Xibe people and the Manchu Bayan clan, while the Korean merchant Jin family was drawn into the conflict through trade. Three couples from the first generation meet amid the strife.

After the Qing army enters the passes, shifting policies leave the four families struggling to choose between joining the banners and holding on to the old ways.

As the Qing court consolidates its rule, the Xibe people are conscripted to garrison the frontier, forcing the families to confront the choice of whether to migrate.

The Qing court orders the Xibe people to move west and guard the frontier, and the will of the state tears apart the destinies of the four families. Years later, they reunite on the banks of Xuelang River, raise a “Monument to Harmony,” and forge a new alliance.