An Old House's Long Song

The century-old mansion known as the Grand Scholar's Residence, in southern China, is home to more than a hundred members of the Lin family, spanning four generations. There are no earth-shattering feuds between wealthy families here, just the everyday lives of ordinary people struggling to get by in the tide of the times. At dawn, Lin Xiuying, the eldest daughter-in-law, cooks a simple meal at the stove, while incense before the family shrine carries the household's modest hopes for safety and prosperity. By the well, the women washing clothes kick off their daily “news conference”: whose child scored top marks on the college entrance exam, whose child struck out on a matchmaking date, and whose marriage has been rocked by an affair or ended in divorce. These seemingly trivial bits of gossip conceal the truest truths of human relationships. In this old mansion, every heart is a multifaceted mirror. Lin Jianguo, the eldest son's branch of the family, made money as a contractor and returned home in triumph. His relatives toasted and flattered him to his face, but behind his back they seethed with envy and resentment. Some even schemed to wreck his family. The younger generation's Lin Hao has barely graduated, yet already faces the double pressure of being urged to marry and having to choose a career. He is torn between the arranged matches his elders have set up and his own desire for freedom. All year long, the residents of the Grand Scholar's Residence toil to make ends meet. They sweat through spring planting and autumn harvests, and visit relatives bearing gifts during festivals to maintain their connections. When an elderly resident passes away, elaborate funeral customs and banquets become a test of kinship and self-interest. Some come to mourn sincerely; others only to contribute money and enjoy the feast. With a delicate touch, The Old Mansion's Long Song depicts the births, deaths, weddings, and funerals in this great residence. It is a history of ordinary people's struggles and a portrait of rural Chinese customs, filled with scheming and warmth, jealousy and mutual support.