During the Chinese-Japanese war, an archaelogist finds the treasury of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, attracting the attention of the Kuomintang, the Japanese and the Green Dragon gang.
A young man leading an aimless life finds that he must change his outlook to life when he falls in love with a hard working letter carrier. As he tries to impress her by collecting and learning about postage stamps, he acquires a rich, diverse knowledge of China's history and accomplishments and even wins the top award in a national quiz competition among Chinese factories.
It is the late 1920s when six-year-old Yingzi and her family move to Beijing. As Yingzi explores the busy streets and alleys, she befriends a widow who, driven mad by grief, stands vigil at the entrance of her hutong, waiting for her missing daughter to return.
