A Thief with a Heart

"The Thief of Jiazi" takes the life circumstances of the protagonist "Jiazi" as the main line, and connects his transition and inner struggle from a monk in a monastery to a prisoner. He was once a monk at Guihua Temple and received a title from his master. He once owned a large house, carriages, horses and sedans in the name of promoting traditional culture, but he gradually deviated from his original intention in his pursuit. In the sultry July, he left the monastery, put on a yellow vest and was imprisoned. Facing the illumination of incandescent lights, he began to reflect on the beginning and end of this "big drama" in life. In the fenced house, he was confused because his name was no longer in use and his past glory had disappeared. He took "Jia Zi" as his new name, but fell into a deeper inner tug. The master, the devil, his parents, and the villagers took turns appearing in his thoughts and illusions: the master pointed out that he had "broken the rules," the devil called him help from the devil, his parents were worried that he had brought shame to the family, and the villagers either accused him or approached him with complicated purposes. He recalled the reasons why he became a monk - he was afraid of poverty and wanted to run a school and charge fees. He recalled the different choices of his senior brother Xuanzhi. He also faced his desire for money and his secret concern for his family. Under the surface of "confession", he hid his defense and inner demons about "Buddha also had a wife and children". In the end, in the iron house, Jiazi was questioned about the past by reality, while repeatedly confronting his inner greed and unwillingness, showing a complex portrait of a person lost between desire and legal principles.