Original subtitles

A film by Youth Experimental Film Group, Beijing Film School

Xiaoshan Going Home

Executive Producer ZHAO Zebiao

Producers GU Zheng, ZHU Jiong

Associate Producers ZHAO Peng, ZHANG Tao

Screenplay JIA Zhangke

Director of Photography ZHAO Zebiao

Camera Operator WU Xin

Composer ZHANG Chu

Sound Recorders LIN Xiaoling, WEI Hua

Arts Direction WANG Bo, WANG Huaining

Starring WANG Hongwei

Director JIA Zhangke

Commemorating 100 Years of Cinema

Would you please stop that?

Messing around while we're busy.

Don't throw tantrums. Didn't I give you leave?

-You done yet? -Don't come back after New Year.

ZHAO Guoqing, 26 Manager of Hongyun Restaurant

ZHAO Guoqing, Zip Code 100708 6-20-211, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Hobbies: Reading (Articles), Music (Sad), Travel (Walk in the Wind)

I want you to be: Honest, Trustworthy, M or F. Let's meet at this info world.

Maxim: Do your own thing, forget what the others say.

Paging 28767. I'm Wang.

Tell her I'd be going home.

Tell her to call me at 2015959.

Don't be serious with him.

He's just a silly dick. A farmer.

OK. Happy New Year.

Xia, I'm Xiaoshan. You get it?

I'm at Chegongzhuang. And you?

At this time.

Xiaoshan. Xiaoshan.

I thought you were gone.

You went crazy making money?

And you? Not even going back.

Wait for me.

Let's go to Xidan.

You bought the ticket home?

Didn't think you still remember my pager.

I once went to your place. Door's locked.

Honghong came this way. She looked for me once,

At Chongwenmen.

She's there, now.

How could you let her there?

Why not? You can serve men everywhere.

Your brother won't go back too?

-Go in by yourself. -What's the matter?

I'll get sick.

Come on. Let's go in.

-You go! -Let's go!

Take a look at yourself.

-How miserable. -Yes I am miserable.

What could you do but sulk?

Do I owe you anything?

You ignored me the whole year.

Now you put up such a face.

-You think I'm disgusting, right? -About what?

Fuck off!

You think you're great?

Lift up your head when you're down at luck.

Don't sulk like this!

I'll just die if I were you.

Yes I sell my cunt. What do YOU sell?

While I'm on my bed, all painful,

who cares the shit for me?

You think I like that?

If I were a man, I'd go steal or rob!

Who cares about me?

Now you do? You do?

Are you finished? Don't raise your voice.

You're sick.

WANG Xia Pager 126-28767

Xiaoshan waits on the street.

-How much? -128.

150. Can't get lower.

See for yourself the price at the mall.

300, 320.

-How much? -80.

Don't look further, This is it.

Just go.

Tell my Mom I'm OK.

Tell my Mom I'm still at that place in Chongwenmen.

That place treats me better.

They're going to Shanghai for the holidays.

They're from Shanghai, plan to visit their kids.

Tell my Mom

I'm not going back this year.

I know. Now go.

What do you know?

Go now.

Thank you. I'm going.

"Foolish Love"

Love. How much of it is clear?

And how much of it is foolish?

Feeling. How much of it is warmth?

And how much of it is bitterness?

All those memorable scenes.

But the warmth is gone.

The heat in my mind,

Is it real? Or an illusion? Is it sweet? Or bitter?

This is love. Can't make it clear.

This is love. So foolish.

This is love. Forgets the worldly troubles.

This is love. Retains the warmth of foolishness.

Xiaoshan, not going out? Not working?

Go watch your colour TV. Someone's taking it.

All the better.

-Not watching "Three Kingdoms"? -I'd rather watch you.

-I'm going home tomorrow. -So early?

My wife just gave birth.

You're dreaming.

-Who says I can't? -Sure you can.

Lying in his bed, Xiaoshan thinks and thinks.

And decides to visit someone from back home, now a student

at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunicatons.

-You're here. -Yes.

-What is it? -Something.

I can't now. A meeting right now. Come in and wait for me.

Wang Dongping now reads a poem. Give him a big hand.

Here's a poem for you.

Beijing. It's 4:08.

I see an ocean of hands.

Beijing. It's 4:08.

I hear a steam whistle blows.

Beijing Station is a tall building.

I feel a big trembling.

Shocked, I look out the window.

What's happened?

I feel a murmur in my heart.

It must be Mom's needle

that pricks my heart.

My heart becomes a kite,

its line is in Mom's hand.

The line is tight, about to snap

I look out the train window,

Now I know what's happened.

Hey, what's up?

Nothing special. I was too busy to visit.

I'm going home the day after tomorrow.

I want to buy some books for He-Er.

Can you choose for me? I know nothing about books.

The day after tomorrow... Dec 3 of the lunar calendar.

My home is serious on such thing.

My father would be 60 that day.

It's Chinese New Year soon...

What kind of books does he want?

For university exams, I guess.

He asked for them?

Not really.

So why buy them?

As a gift. He didn't ask though.

He's just stupid.

I don't know what to buy him. I'm stupid too.

He's so stupid, he thinks that I came here to enjoy.

I just do whatever job I can.

Talks about me every day.

You're a good brother to him.

Nothing really.

It's tough to study... You'll have them tomorrow afternoon.

Hey you bastards!

Bastard. Give me that.

Here's something funny. He just became stronger.

He got an electric shock, and his thing got much harder.

I was at work. Someone called me.

I put the phone down and touched the drill,

I got a shock.

I was so scared. I couldn't get hard.

Scared the shit out of me.

That's funny. He got shocked and became impotent.

Say "Good Brothers" first.

Fuck you. My turn.

You good?

Fuck. You win.

Best of 3 games.

Drink some first. Best of 3 games.

Show me your hands.

You drink too much.

Stay out of it.

Drink! Drink!

Why play if you won't drink?

Try another game.

He's drunk. Plays with me, huh.

I'm not drunk. I'm all right.

You're not fucking all right.

Xiaoshan, having a good time?

Yinfa's ass is better.

Don't make fun of her ass.

I'm getting hard.

Charlie Cho (soft porn star) is the luckiest man on earth.

He fucked so many girls, and got paid for it.

We should make a porn.

Make some money.

And eat mutton everyday.

Eat well and fuck well.

Happier than Charlie Cho!

Tell you what.

Your debts won't kill you but your wealth will.

-You know Li Xiangnan? -Who's that?

Don't know? He's the County Secretary.

What's with him?

His wife was killed.

I'll tell you want.

Get a gorgeous wife.

Drink a bit. Eat a bit. Screw a bit.

But Yinfa's not my wife.

You'll give her to me?

You believe that?

-How about you? -No.

Fuck! I don't.

But I do.

No money.

If I have money,

I'll get me 70 or 80 bodyguards.

If I have a kid,

I'll send him to Shaolin temple,

get him trained to be a thug.

Then starts his own gang.

First he'll get me Yinfa.

I'll have my fun with her.

I don't believe in justice.

Fuck that!

A gang.

My company is worse than that!

You can't reason with them.

What kind of reason is that?

I worked hard all year. And I can't go home.

The foreman read us an article. "Don't go home for New Year"

We'll cause a congestion!

Them fuckers go home and eat their dumplings.

What about us?

(Audio: Detergent Commercial)

"Workers: Stay for New Year"

Li, a young man, came from Anhui to work in Beijing.

One month before Chinese New Year, he got all worked up.

He looked forward to it and made plans.

But many think alike. This cause the annual congestion.

The state understands their feelings. Chinese New Year

is our important tradition. It is human to want to go home.

However, migrant workers have surged to 25 million.

If everyone goes home, the transit system would be strained.

In a worse case scenario, something bad might happen.

"Three Ones" are encouraged. 1 letter. 1 telegram. 1 Call.

Dec 5 1994, People's Daily

Bottoms up!

No I can't.

Bottoms up!

Another game!

Look at this!

Where did you get it?

From the toilet.

Which toilet? Yours?

That's the storeroom for firewood!

Erdong, dance.

Go get a cassette deck.

Are you going to dance?

Sure. But who's got a deck?

I'll dance!

Get it next door.

Go get it!

But I can't very well.

Xiaoshan goes to the landlord.

The landlord is watching TV.

Programme List. Channel 2

Dec 31 1994 (Nov 29, lunar)

Xiaoshan, you looking for me?

No.

Erdong said you were.

That bastard. He's just kidding.

You guys are fun. What is it?

I really don't know.

Since you're here. Make yourself comfortable.

Come to Anyang with me for Chinese New Year.

I haven't spent the New Year before in Beijing.

Oh come on!

Did Zhao Guoqing tell you to stay?

No.

No? He's stingy.

How do you know? You're not a fortune teller.

You're ignorant.

Fortune telling was invented in my hometown.

You know Longli city?

It's near our place. That's where it was invented.

So read my fortune.

I'll take a look.

Right hand for women.

What bullshit.

How is it?

The line of life is not bad.

You'll live to 80.

What for? Too old.

What's this line?

The line of love.

Difficult to say.

Xiaoshan. How dare you.

Of course I do.

Who do you think I am?

Xiaoshan!

What are you doing?

Xiaoshan!

-Sit down and eat. -No.

Then go first.

-When will you come? -Don't know.

How about tonight? I'll wait for you.

Come tonight.

No.

Of all time, why Jan 2?

My Dad's birthday. I leave on Jan 2, gets home on Jan 3.

Then I should buy him something.

Forget that, just get me a ticket.

It's no so easy as you think.

Where were you yesterday? I only have tickets to Guangzhou now.

Now where can I get one?

Let's look over there.

Feng, where's Big Sister?

Oh it's Qinhua. Why come to the toilet?

Nothing. Go get her.

-Did something happen? -No. Just get her.

It's there? She's going to the toilet?

It's there.

-Can she really get it? -Sure.

Disgusting if she can't.

Big Sister, do you have tickets for Anyang?

-Anyang? -Or Zhengzhou.

No.

That's my kid brother. He's going home.

-What day? -Tomorrow. Jan 2.

The two I had were just sold.

Would Erqing or Liping have it?

No.

-Really? -No.

Now how can I get one?

Let's try South Station.

Right. Try there.

OK?

OK. We'll try there.

-Perhaps you'll get it there. -Thanks.

Beijing South Station

Travellers.

No luck?

So what now?

Just hop on the train!

No way. It's New Year.

Let's try again then.

People he knows are all gone.

Hey there.

-Coming! -Quick!

What would you like?

Preserved egg. Peanuts.

Seaweed.

Shedded pork.

Kungpao chicken.

Eggplants.

Three bottles of beer.

-Won't be long. -Quick.

There are two groups at South Station.

One is for Northeast and Henan.

The other is for Anhui.

-Why not go back for good? -To do what?

What could I do?

Find something.

Nothing in Anyang.

I think I knew him.

When are you going back?

Don't know.

You should go.

Perhaps I'll go on Jan 29.

I'll be home on New Year's Eve.

That's up to you.

Oh yes. Your father's 60. Got to buy something for him.

No. Just eat.

Xiaoshan!

A knife.

Damn! Who were they?

They're gone.

(Sig tune of CCTV News)

Wear this hat.

Come to my place. Don't go to the station.

No.

You got hurt. Don't do anything.

I got beaten up. I'm not going home this year.

Take care then.

Won't forgive them.

27. At the door. The sun is shining. A sheen of yellow on the road.

Xiaoshan walks in the crowd. Tiananmen is shining from afar.

Is this the University of Posts and Telecommunications?

208. Wang Donping please.

Hurry.

What? He's not in?

He's in Tianjin?

Yesterday he told me to wait at the bookstore now.

All right then. Bye.

"Yesterday should go away."

"It makes me so confused today."

"The harder I try, the harder it sticks."

"The more I drink, the sadder I am"

"It's tough to be satisfied."

"I kiss you goodbye on the empty street."

"I kiss you goodbye on this crazy night."

"Let the wind laughs at me."

"Walks out of my sadness."

"No wind. No rain. It's sunny."

"You're quiet. What are you thinking?"

"Sun is gone. Moon is here. It's night time."

"When can I be in your dreams?"

The End

March 1995