Original subtitles

It's so nice to see the mountains

You like mountains?

- You should marry here, then - Why not?

Better than marrying you!

Okay, I'll find you some sex-starved old man

I feel like shouting!

Go ahead

People of Jinjiazhuang!

It's a few minutes to eight

At eight, we'll have electricity

From now on we can eat at home

Our children will be able to study...

...and we can grind flour!

Thanks to the Communist Party

We have this wonderful facility

Forever following the Party's lead

Forever loyal to the Party

Forever loyal to the Party

Always grateful to the Party

From now on, we must use our electricity with care

Our homeland...

...is built on our prosperous fields

Smoking chimneys atop new houses...

Sanming

Stop the truck

Sanming, get on!

No need, I'll go this way

- This is quicker - It's okay, it's not far

Hongxi!

Hongxi!

Where the fuck are you?

Never here when I need you

What are you doing?

If you don't like it, quit!

Fingerprint here

Over there... Next!

Get a move on, over there

Fingerprint!

Get changed, quickly

I can't read, I'll get help

Quick, don't fuck around

Read this to me, I can't read

"Contract

"1: Life and death are questions of fate

"I am willing to work in Gao's Mine

"Management accepts no blame for accidents

"2: In cases of death or accident, the Mine offers...

"...500 Yuan compensation to families

"3: Daily wage is 10 Yuan

Get it?

- Is it clear? - Yes

Don't come to me with any problems

We're not responsible for anything

It's clearly stated

That old hat is useless, go and get changed

Cousin, I'm going

Where are you from? Lin County?

That's Xiaoyi over there

You can see the lights from here

It seems close by...

...but it's quite far

- Your schoolmate? - No, I never went to school

Who is she?

Quite pretty

The country is in my dreams

My homeland may be far away...

ut that will never change...

...my Chinese heart

Cui Mingliang, it's your cousin

Sanming, what is it?

Please give this 5 Yuan to Wenying

Tell her to get to university, never come back here

I'm going

The long and empty platform

The wait seems never-ending

The long wagons are carrying...

...my short-lived love

The long and empty platform

Lonely, we can only wait

All my love is out-bound

Nothing on the in-bound train

There's a train coming!

My heart waits, waits forever...

...waits forever...

Oh, always Yin Ruijuan

You don't understand her

She's quite self-important,

even tried to enter the provincial dance troupe

Why didn't you?

I preferred to stay with you

Song asked me about you just now

- Asked what? - Where you'd been

What did you say?

I said you were seeing the world

Smart of you

I'm going

Do you have to?

They would make a good couple

You think so?

But it won't happen... Unlikely

Don't make fun of them

I'm not, you'll see

Tired?

A bit hot

This is nice, no-one knows us here

So no supervision!

Let's just stay here, not go back

- No - Why not?

I'd like to be your wife

- Don't want you - Can't accept that

Wretch!

Just want to be your wife

Come here...

Why carry a knife?

I just bought it

Where?

At the hotel

Are you husband and wife?

Didn't bring the certificate

No proof?

You can't stay together without it

Are you having an affair?

Are you really married? Tell me

No

No?

We know everything, so admit it

Think it over

Your work unit?

Cultural Team

How are you related to him?

He's my husband

Husband?

How did you meet?

As kids

How long ago?

At least ten years!

More than ten years?

We're in the same Cultural Team, so we got married

You got married?

Why don't you admit the truth?

The man has confessed

You want us to go on with this?

- Admit what? - What?

That you're not married!

So we're not

Thanks, Song, here's to you

Not like that, link arms!

The couple's way

Who here is from Fenyang?

What's wrong?

- Song Yongping? - That's me

We have some questions for you

Mingliang, take over from me

I'll be back

Hang on, Jiao, just a moment

Boss, the shop's out of Energiser drinks...

Just one bottle?

Yeah, I'm so thirsty

Put it on my tab

HANCHENG - FENYANG

Why blow your money on a restaurant?

It's just this once

I've never eaten out before, and it's my son's treat

Eat up

Try the meat

Shall we order more, Brother?

Boss, give us some braised meat

Wenying...

Here's 10 Yuan from Sanming

Your brother's earning money now

You have to study hard

Ignore the pressure, concentrate

You'll pass this time

Eat!

Come on, eat up!

Wenying, eat up

What's up with Zhong Ping?

Zhang Jun, what's up with her?

It's too much!

No discipline at all!

Who does she think she is?

We're sinking in quicksand here! We're not even on tour yet

I'll find her

She's supposed to be the lead!

Aren't we all equal in art?

I'll find her

Zhang Jun!

- Mr Zhong, where's Zhong Ping? - Don't know

You're her father

I just don't know

She's gone, and I'm worried

Who knows where she is?

These days, she goes where she likes

I can't stop her, I can't follow her

She goes wherever she likes

- Aren't you worried? - What's the point?

It scares me to think of it

She didn't tell me anything

What can I do?

Gen... Genghis Khan

Every beautiful girl wants to marry him

Genghis Khan

Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan

Every beautiful girl wants to marry him

Let's go...

The next song is dedicated to...

...the guards in the provincial prison from their colleague

Is it true...

...I am leaving you?

Is it true no more tears will fall?

Is it true...

...I have a one-way ticket?

Leaving on a road with no end?

Is it true I am leaving you?

Is it true no more tears will fall?

Is it true, as I said before...

...that lovers must be lonely?

How many times must I feel this pain?

Telling myself to go back

Holding back my tears

Telling myself I don't care

The long and empty platform

The wait seems never-ending

The long wagons are carrying...

...my short-lived love

The wait seems never-ending

My heart waits, waits forever

My heart waits, waits forever

Zhang Jun!

- What the hell? - I'm hungry

You're kidding me

Get to fucking work!

Dear people of Jia County!

Today we present, from Shenzhen...

The All-Stars Rock'n'Breakdance Electronic Band!

They've come here...

...on a tour of our province

Comrades, give them a big round of applause to welcome them

Our brother is two years older

Three of us, we're twins

Dad's always angry with Mum

After a fight, he just lies there saying nothing

Then Mum gets worried

She asks me to talk to him

We sisters have to mediate for them

I think I have the best mother in the world...

...compared with other mothers

A girl in our last troupe...

...visited our home for a festival

She thought Mum was great! I asked her why

It's because Mum's a doctor

She looks after me when I'm ill,

gives me hot-water bottles till I'm feeling better

Most peasant mothers aren't so caring

But Mum is so considerate

That's why this girl was so impressed

You're good daughter too!

When we're with her, she doesn't need medicine!

You know, when I go home...

I could send you by mail!

- A medical package! - It's true!

She'd love to see us, but we can't go

We have to perform

We used to get only 100 Yuan a month

Just enough to buy her some food

Now I can send her cash

We need the money

What brings you back to us?

I was restless at home

Why?

How's my stitching?

I was just fed up

Very delicate!

Your mother taught you?

No I taught myself!

It's my talent

You're a genius!

I felt stuck in Fenyang, that's why I came

- It's boring being alone - Terrible

Get up!

- What time is it? - See for yourself

Quick, get up

Time to rehearse!

Sanlin, get up!

Juan, get up!

Hongli...

Come on!

Eryong, come on, it's late

- Ready yet? - Nearly

Get a damn move on!

You lazy scumbags!

PRIVATE MARKET FOR CLOTHES AND SMALL GOODS

- Stop fighting! - Help!

You think you can beat them?

You must be out of your mind

You think you're that good?

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Come on!

T's natural to change position

When two people are in love...

...any position is natural

They can try in any way...

...to heighten their love

Most prefer it with the man on top, the natural way

The woman lies passively, face-up

The man on top taking control

He takes the active role

JIASHEN - WUBAO

You're the station master?

- What is it? - Listen...

We're the All-Stars Band from Shenzhen

Rock'n'Breakdance Band

We like this place...

...so we'd like to put up a stage and do two shows here

Got a permit?

From Shenzhen?

We'll have to approve the show

Of course

Sure, we'll show you

Would you prefer...

...the songs or the go-go dance?

The hot stuff!

Do Boy Under the Streetlamp

It's "Girl", not "Boy"

- How was it? - Pretty good!

So we can put up our stage?

The station master isn't here

- He's not here - You're not in charge?

No I'm not, he's at home

- So why ask to approve us? - You can go see him

What's up, girls?

Come along now...

These things happen

It hasn't cost you anything

Cheer up!

under the street-lamp

...a girl is crying

Where did she come from?

Crying so bitterly...

Who has jilted her?

Where can she go?

...and is expected to form an area of low pressure...

...in the vicinity of Ulan Bator

The Inner Mongolian authorities...

...have issued a warrant for Shen Zhimin, 22, male

born in East Beijing

1.8m tall

He wears glasses

He can drive and...

...wears green army clothes

And for Yu Lik-Wai, 24, male

born in Guangdong Province

1.7m tall

He has a strong Cantonese accent

TAIYUAN - FENYANG

Where's Dad?

He's opened a shop by the highway

He lives there, rarely comes home

He's that busy?

No, he just doesn't want to come home

Let's forget about him

He doesn't treat this as home

I'm past caring about it

Those timbers are useless, sell them

Who says?

- Where's it from? - The mine

Useless bloody mine

We could make money with cement, what about that?

Zhang Jun!

Ah, the tax collector!

- I can give you a rebate - How kind!

Maybe I should break my leg

Me too... disability allowance!

Eryong, how's business?

- So so - Quite good?

Cui Mingliang, you're back!

- Treating me to dinner? - Why should I?

Just kidding! But they won't charge you

- Couldn't take the risk - Who'd dare report you?

Zhang Jun, let's take her to dinner

Jinyun Restaurant

Okay, I'll host, Eryong can pay!

Thief!

How's the big wide world?

I kept moving

How's your new job?

Not bad

Why haven't you locked me up?

- Where? - At my place

What's this roadwork?

Fenyang is always like this now

It never ends

You haven't changed

I'm alright

Mum

Why don't you divorce him?

Where's your fish?

You know my fish?

No, it's my first time here

I didn't like them

Is it still snowing?

Yes

- What's funny? - Nothing

Cigarette?

No thanks

Given up?

- Have you? - No

Help yourself

- Are they a bribe? - I can afford them myself

When did you start smoking?

Ages ago

- With whom? - Zhong Ping

Have you heard from her?

She's impossible!

She left without a word

And no-one's heard from her

Anyone here?

Want to buy something?

Is Cui Wanlin around?

He's out

- Ask him to visit his home - Okay, I'll tell him

want to move to the seaside

I'd love to see the sky there

And hear the sound of waves

Get your bags packed

I'll wait for you

English subtitles: Tony Rayns

Processed by: B.B. COM - Paris