
An old teahouse in Beijing serves as the stage for a drama that unfolds over several tumultuous decades of modern Chinese history, from the waning days of the Qing dynasty to the eve of the People's Republic.

Xiangzi heads to the big city to enjoy the freedom of being a rickshaw boy. In Beijing, a better life eludes the boy from the countryside, and his dream turns into a desperate nightmare. He is humiliated and struggles to feed hims...