Before 1992, before the districts and townships were reorganized, Gushan Village belonged to Caiwei District. Caiwei was the name of a range of mountains, where wild crabapple pears bloomed halfway up the slopes in spring. Gushan Village lay at the foot of Caiwei Mountain. Farther west stretched vast expanses of level land, divided up by people and dotted with stone markers.
The year after Gu Ziyan was born, Caiwei District disappeared, becoming a thing of the past, and Gushan Village was placed under Dakang Township. The township built a new asphalt road to replace the old gravel one. Gu Ziyan's memories of roads began with a donkey. The person driving the donkey cart came from who knew where and was heading who knew where. Perhaps they were merely passing through Gushan. That was enough to leave young Gu Ziyan deeply saddened, and years later, one day, she wished she could be nothing more than a little donkey passing through this world.
Theme: Ordinary life
