The Golden Ring, Tearstains reflects a period in the 1980s and 1990s, after the launch of reform and opening up. Although the countryside had grown prosperous, many bachelors still couldn't find wives. Why? Not because they were poor, but because centuries of favoring sons over daughters had resulted in far more men than women, creating an imbalanced sex ratio. This, in turn, led to a series of tragedies involving marriage, love, and family.
