The Road Home is a 1999 film directed by the Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou. It also marked the cinematic debut of the Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.
Directed by Zhang Yimou
Produced by Zhang Weiping and Zhao Yu
Written by Bao Shi (novel)
Starring Zhang Ziyi/Sun Honglei/Zheng Hao/Zhao Yulian
Music by San Bao
Cinematography Hou Yong
Distributed by Beijing New Picture Distribution Company
Running time 89 min
Language Mandarin
It is the story of a country girl (Zhang Ziyi) and a young teacher falling in love during the 1958 Anti-Rightist Movement and the teacher's death many years later that brings their big city living son to return for the funeral.
The film begins in black and white in present day China when the son returns to his village from the city upon hearing his father's death. His mother, Zhao Di, insists upon following the tradition of carrying the coffin back to their remote village by foot so that her husband's spirit will remember its way home. As the narrator, the son recounts the story of his parents' courtship, so famous that it has gained the status of a legend in the village. It is here the bleak black and white turns into vivid colors as the story shifts to the past.
His father came to the village as the teacher. Immediately, Zhao Di (Zhang Ziyi) became infatuated with him and he with her. Thus began a courtship which consisted mostly of the exchange of looks and glances between the two. Unfortunately, the courtship was interrupted when the teacher was summoned by the government, probably because he was deemed as a "Rightist" by the new communist government. Zhao Di lost her heart and fell gravely ill, so ill that the villagers thought she would die. However, upon hearing the news, the teacher sneaked back to the village and Zhao Di, in tears, welcomed the sight of her beloved. Still, their love would not be consummated for a few additional years as the teacher is kept away from the village as punishment for having left his assignment in the city without permission.
Now in black and white, the son realizes how important this ritual of carrying the coffin back to village is to his mother, Zhao Di, and he agrees to make all necessary arrangements to fulfill her wish. He is told by the mayor of the village that it might be difficult to find enough porters to carry the father home, as there are few young, able men left in the village. The mayor and the son reach an agreement on the price to be paid to the porters. Upon setting out, on the way home, more than 100 people show up to help carry home the casket of the man who was their teacher through various generations in the village, even more no being able to come and help because of the heavy snowstorm. The mayor returns the money to the son, as no one will accept payment for doing what they consider to be an honour to do.
On the morning of the day the son leaves to return to his job in the city, he fulfills his father's dream and teaches a class in the old schoolhouse that was the reason for the parents having fallen in love.
