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.
This simple romance story does not mean much to westerners, and in fact, does not even mean anything to Chinese today, but it was a big thing when it was made, not long after the end of Cultural Revolution in which even the personal romance was restricted. This movie is one of the pioneers of personal liberalization in advocating people seeking out their love following their own hearts, not from other people.
Shangrao Concentration Camp is set in the hellish confines of a Guomindang prison, where the brutal officials try to force two female Communist prisoners to reveal their leader's identity and location.
