At a 1930s swimming match, a Chinese champion is forced to lose to his American rival. Later, the Chinese champion's son, another potential champion, is torn between the rigours of training and the lure of romance.
The film takes place during work on the water reservoir, outside Beijing's Ming Tombs, in 1958 at the beginning of the Great Leap Forward. The film follows how workers and leaders are working together to get it done. The film's final 25 minutes is a future interpretation of how it will look like 20 years after it has been completed with the water reservoir.
