The sunset over Pingchuan is magnificent. In the distance, a lone plume of smoke rises above endless mountains and fields. There lies a new grave, with silk trees blooming in their prime before it. Xu Yuanning sits beneath the tree, his frail body worn by illness, and hums an ancient, haunting tune:
A lone plume rises, vast and boundless
The northern mountain lies far, shrouded in morning gloom
Wild geese alight, calling out
The moon is a silver hook, bright and pure
The great river's power chills as dusk deepens
Go on, go on, through the depths of solitude
Iron halberds break, a hundred battles end in death
Return, return, and all is empty
Theme: Ordinary people, too, must find a place to live in the tide of history, struggling against fate amid war, disease, natural disasters, and man-made calamities.
