Original subtitles

In old times, our village wasn't called Wang Village,

but Weasel Village.

During "Destroy the Four Olds" times, it was renamed Wang Village.

The story of the Weasel Deity

started with the drought

of my grandfather's generation.

[Spring of the 12th year of the Republic of China]

The Liu Family died of the drought, too.

The old dog barked all night long at the entrance of the village.

If it still doesn't rain,

all the infants won't survive after they are born.

Didn't you hear the village head?

He told us to wait.

But how long do we have to wait?

Here comes the food!

Where's it?

You bad dog!

The dog scared away the weasel.

You two, bring the offerings.

We'll go up Mount Yaozi to pray to the Weasel Deity.

Let's pray for rain!

Youliang.

When we reached Mount Yaozi

and went five li east,

we were supposed to see a crooked tree.

We've all walked ten li,

but we haven't seen anything.

Maybe the Weasel Deity has moved away.

Let's catch up!

Dafu, Dafu.

These... These are all for you.

What do you want me for?

It hasn't rained for five months in our village.

We can't survive.

Please help us.

Help us, please.

We're different creatures from different worlds.

I won't help you

unless you do two things for me.

As long as you end the drought,

we can do anything for you.

First,

build a temple for me at the entrance of your village.

Deliver three meals to me a day.

On the third day of the third month and the ninth day of the ninth month,

give me a big feast.

Second,

I'm getting bored of chicken.

I want to eat your wife...

the rice on your wife's bed.

Thank you.

I used to live on Mount Yaoxian,

and my mansion was called Thunder Chamber.

In the morning, I heard the birds sing on the branches.

In the evening, there was cold dew all over the mansion.

A creature like me shouldn't mess with the humans' business.

But the young guys came to me.

Tonight, they offered me food to make a connection with me.

I shall end the drought for them.

The Weasel Deity saved our village.

Exactly.

Your wife delivered a baby.

A son.

Really?

My baby was born?

Yes.

[Northeast Folktales]

[Winter of 1990]

As the old saying goes,

the immortals appear on the third, sixth, and ninth days.

On the sixth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar that year,

the villagers built a temple at the entrance of the village

as the Weasel Deity requested.

But there was one thing

Huang Youliang misunderstood.

He thought the Weasel Deity wanted him to put some rice in the temple.

But actually,

the Weasel Deity was reincarnated as his son.

According to the villagers,

There was something peculiar

about the birth of Huang Yusheng，

so his passing will be just as peculiar.

Sorry, but I really have to pee.

This is the Erdao River.

Go along this river and we'll reach our village.

Let's go.

Now, this river is frozen.

But before, it was really weird.

There would be one person who died in the river every three years.

According to old villagers,

Wang's daughter-in-law of the Wang family

who lived in the neighboring Zhao Village

was the first victim.

As she just gotten married,

she wanted to do more housework to show her diligence.

So, she got up very early in the morning

to do the laundry by the river.

Accidentally,

the clothes floated away in the river.

Unexpectedly,

when her family got her out of the river,

there was nothing left but her bones.

But that had never

happened before.

Maybe it was only a coincidence.

Three years later,

Liu from our village

died, too.

Liu was

a gamester.

That day, he came back

drunken.

As he lost a lot of money and had blurred vision,

he thought he met a golden carp that spat gold bars.

He then jumped straight into the river.

Well...

The next day, he was fished out from the river

by the villagers passing by,

and he was so heavy.

Buddy,

did you witness what you've just mentioned?

No.

But my father told me

when they went to the Erdao River at a young age,

they met something weird.

Yusheng,

this is the Erdao River.

You're already here, after all.

You're a man.

Don't be scared.

Besides,

you kept talking

about the golden carp thing.

That's right.

If the Water Ghost appears,

let's take him down.

If we really catch a golden carp,

you can propose to Xiuxiu, right?

Don't talk nonsense.

Come on. Pull in the net.

Hey, I know

what you're thinking.

You have been expecting

to marry Xiuxiu...

Yusheng,

check if...

Sanxiang!

Sanxiang!

Sanxiang!

[Summer of the 29th year of the Republic of China]

Doctor.

Doctor, save him, please.

Doctor!

Check on him again, please.

Doctor!

What do we do, Youliang?

I'm from the neighboring Wang Village.

I heard your son had a rare disease.

So, I'm here to check on him.

How long has he been asleep?

A whole night.

Go.

Get a bowl,

and get me some clean water.

Go.

The threads of blood twine

and don't solidify in the water.

The heart scatters and the marrow flows.

Your son has lost his soul.

He has lost his way and forgot to return.

What do we do, then?

Yeah.

It's okay.

I've brought some herbs from a traditional prescription.

Then I'll pray for him

so that he can wake up early.

Donkeys on the ground, eagles in the sky,

and ants in the mud need to live.

Kid, you've got a long life to live.

Don't go too far. Come back.

It's done.

He's back.

Yusheng, Yusheng.

He's awake.

He's awake.

Yusheng, Yusheng.

After Huang Yusheng recovered,

Huang Youliang took him

to visit Madam Bai for gratitude.

According to my father,

the folk Five Immortals

used to be a family.

Huang Yusheng's rare disease

was cured by the White Immortal.

Since Uncle Yusheng had that accident at the age of 17,

he had always been healthy

before he died a few days ago.

Father,

this is Mr. Liu from the city's Cultural Center.

This is my father.

To write the county chronicle,

[No hunt or kill wild animals] he wants to interview us

[under national key protection] about our village and Uncle Yusheng.

[Education must be given priority. Children must be taken good care of.]

[Deep mourning for Father by son Huang Wenhua]

[Deep mourning for Mr. Huang Yusheng]

Mr. Liu,

where are you from?

My father is from Tianjin.

He came to Harbin for a transferred job.

My mother is a native of Northeast China.

She used to work in the city's Cultural Center, too.

When she was alive, she told me

about this village and Huang Yusheng.

Well, you look quite familiar.

So, you're half-native.

Speaking of Yusheng,

without his blessing,

our village wouldn't be so peaceful these years.

[Winter of 1948]

Enjoy the food. There's some more.

It's so nice of you, Mister.

My hometown was robbed by the bandits.

None of my family escaped, except my son and me.

We had meant to go over to a relative.

Unexpectedly,

we were walking in the snow for quite a few days

without anything to eat.

We nearly starved to death.

These days,

no one is able to live a good life.

The Spring Festival is coming.

You stay here for a few more days.

After the Spring Festival,

I'll get you a donkey cart

so that you can get out of here.

Thank you, Mister.

Slow down. There are more dishes.

Huang Yusheng is really lucky.

Look, Huang Yusheng

keeps such a pretty woman.

What are you doing here?

What are you guys talking about?

Sanxiang,

you know what?

There's a woman in Huang Yusheng's home.

She's so pretty.

Just like the fairy in the New Year's poster.

Don't gossip.

I know that.

Instead of staying at home

during this cold winter,

you came to Yusheng's home to eavesdrop.

What are you up to?

If you don't want your tongue,

I'll cut it for you.

OK?

You're just like a woman,

eavesdropping all the time.

So sissy.

Yusheng!

Yusheng!

What's up?

I don't know why,

but someone dug a hole at the foot of the wall of some houses.

When I got up this morning,

I found a hole at the foot of my wall, too.

Go check it with me.

Let's go.

The size of this hole looks

bigger than a rat but smaller than a wild boar.

Could it be a wolf?

But no one was hurt.

I don't think it was a wolf.

Yusheng.

It'll soon be the Spring Festival.

I made some mince-filled dumplings.

Here.

Thank you, Guilan.

Hey, miss.

Miss,

what are you doing?

Did you hear?

The woman lived in Huang Yusheng's home

turned out to be a rat demon.

No wonder there was a hole

at the foot of the wall of some houses.

So, it was the rat demon who did that.

That's right.

The baby that the rat demon stole

is still in his home.

Why did she steal a baby?

For the marriage thing.

They didn't find

the baby's parents?

Yusheng and I asked around the neighboring villages

but still didn't find his parents.

Then Yusheng brought up that boy

as a descendant of his family.

Unexpectedly,

before the second month of the lunar year,

there was a rat infestation in the village.

Luo,

say something fair.

How shall we solve this problem?

Do you have any suggestions?

Well.

Luo,

now there are rats

in almost every family,

which is caused by Huang Yusheng.

If Huang Yusheng

hadn't killed the rat demon

and enraged her clan,

they wouldn't have been trying to destroy the whole village.

Erxi, what are you talking about?

Well,

I'm telling the truth.

If Huang Yusheng

hadn't kept that woman for the Spring Festival,

we wouldn't have been suffering this.

Am I right?

Shut up!

All right. Stop arguing.

No matter what,

Yusheng was killing that rat demon

to save the baby.

That was a good deed.

Now, we have a rat infestation,

which is something we have to suffer.

However strong the rats are,

they're scared of snakes.

Twenty li away from the mountain,

there was the Snake Immortal Temple

where the Snake Immortal dwelled.

If the Snake Immortal is willing to lend us a hand,

we'll be able to get over this.

Which one of you

will go?

I won't.

You go.

I won't.

You go if you want it.

I'll go.

Be careful.

Men in our village

are all cowards!

I'm so mad.

Wait a minute.

What's wrong?

Something's off, I think.

I think we're back here.

Look at this wood pile.

We passed it just now.

According to my father,

this forest is weird.

The animal waste

will possess humans.

That year,

my father went up the mountain to pray for the rain.

He said he saw Uncle Luo possessed by the weasel.

Actually, it was my father who was possessed.

The Weasel Deity.

Luo, Luo.

Please help us!

I beg you, the Weasel Deity.

Luo,

the weasel's stuff is dangerous.

Let's cover our noses.

Come on.

According to my father,

the Snake Immortal Temple is just nearby.

Why haven't we found it yet?

Immortal,

we really don't have a choice.

Please show some mercy

and help our village.

Who are you?

Immortal,

rats are ruining our village!

Before the Spring Festival,

a pretty woman with a baby

came to our village.

Showing mercy to them,

I kept them.

Unexpectedly,

she caused a rat infestation.

Immortal,

please help us!

Please help us!

You can't get my help

unless you do one thing for me.

Anything. Anything you want.

Five li north away from your village

lies a big exposed green stone.

It has some lichen on the surface.

Go there and remove the lichen.

No problem!

We will do it!

Go back home

and prepare something for me.

Get a room where no one has lived for three years,

put a jar of rice in the room,

and pour a pot of sesame oil on the rice.

Light the incense stick and close the door.

Only keep the eastern window open.

No matter what you see in the night,

no one shall get into the room

until the dawn.

According to the villagers,

the green stone behind the village

was connected to the stele in the Snake Immortal Temple.

Together, they made

up the Snake Immortal's body.

She asked us to remove the lichen

was asking us to help her shed her skin.

Father,

the grave preparation is ready.

They're waiting for you to go and check it.

Go ahead, please.

Here, Mr. Liu.

Have some more water.

My father told you

about the Snake Immortal, huh?

This story wasn't told for many years.

Only my six-year-old son

would find it interesting.

Oh,

the Huang Family is holding a funeral.

I want to show some respect, too.

I wonder

if there are some local rules.

Well, Mr. Liu,

I'll get you some joss paper.

You're the clerk from the city's Cultural Center, huh?

Yes.

Shengli told me about you.

Come on.

I heard you came here to interview people about my father.

What's the point of that?

My father was a farmer

who spent all his life in this village.

Later, he had me.

He insisted that I should go out of the village,

and go to school in town.

He even named me Wenhua. [♪It means well-educated in Chinese.]

But could being called Wenhua really make me an educated man?

I dropped out of primary school.

Later, my father asked a friend of his

to get me a job in town.

I really don't know

what is so great about the town.

I think our village is good.

I don't want to go anywhere else.

When my father was alive,

I often argued with him.

Now, he's gone.

I just find it too quiet.

Do you know about

the Snake Immortal thing?

There's no such thing as Snake Immortal.

Do you want to know what she looks like?

It's really hard for you.

Instead of staying at home on such cold days,

you have to go up the mountain to get resources from the mountains.

We just have to work hard

to make a living.

We know the rule.

We'll pay to pass your village.

There's thick snow in the mountains.

Do you need a guide?

He can lead the way at least.

Buddy,

you don't need to bother.

To follow us on such cold days, the guide will have to suffer.

Come on.

Let's drink.

Here. Enjoy the food.

Come on.

Let's drink.

Here.

Come on. Let's eat.

Later, Uncle Luo got to know

those people weren't there to get resources from the mountains.

They were snake hunters from another village.

In less than half a year,

they caught all the snakes on the mountain.

With fewer snakes,

there were more rats.

Uncle Luo regretted disbelieving them

and didn't dare to tell other villagers.

When the snow was melting,

my father went with Uncle Luo to find those snake hunters.

Such bad guys.

It's my fault.

Go.

Don't move.

Let's go.

Let's go after them!

Are you all right?

Sanxiang,

you arch your back to go over there.

What?

You arch your back to go over there.

Hurry.

Boss!

Boss, let's go.

Boss.

Go, Boss.

Yusheng, Yusheng.

What's wrong?

I think a snake bit me.

Yusheng, Yusheng.

Keep the snake hunter thing for me.

Don't tell anyone.

It's all my fault.

In the worst case,

I'll pay with my life.

Don't be ridiculous.

You're awake?

Where am I?

I thought I was dead.

With the toad herb,

you won't die.

What?

What is the toad herb?

Something that saved your life.

Do you remember

when we went to the Erdao River,

other villagers said

I was possessed by the Water Ghost?

Actually, that day,

I was bitten by a water snake.

Snake!

That night,

a hedgehog visited my home,

bringing me the toad herb.

Done.

Come on. Give me your hand.

My father was

taking care of others all his life.

He worried endlessly about others.

But in the end,

he passed away

all alone.

I heard that before your father died,

he had a girlfriend in the village.

Yes.

She was Mr. Wang's daughter,

Xiuxiu.

I heard her family

used to be rich.

But later,

her family became poor.

When my father was alive,

he seldom talked about her.

All he said was

Xiuxiu was Fox Immortal.

[Autumn of 1947]

Mother,

I'm going out.

Xiuxiu.

Yusheng,

what are you doing here?

Let me show you something.

Yusheng,

where are you taking me?

You'll know.

When I was little,

the adult villagers didn't allow their kids to play with me.

Then I often came here.

Wait and see.

Look.

Come on.

You wait here.

What is so mysterious?

Here. It's your mother's.

And this.

Old stuff from your school.

Isn't this...?

The other day, when I was delivering the resources I got from the mountains,

I passed by the town,

so I redeemed them from the pawnshop.

Yusheng,

you're so nice to me.

I don't know how I can thank you.

Don't mention it.

After all, you and I grew up together.

Yusheng,

people say the sun rises from the east.

So, where exactly is the east?

The back of the mountain.

That is where

the sun rises.

One day,

I'll take you there to see that.

Yusheng's really got something.

Look.

Since our family became poor,

Yusheng has been helping us a lot.

Xiuxiu is no longer a kid.

It's time to get her a husband.

Yusheng,

be careful.

Don't worry, Uncle Wang.

Here, Yusheng. Have some water.

Okay.

Get back in.

Xiuxiu,

here. Bring it to him.

Come on. Let's eat.

Xiuxiu.

Xiuxiu,

your father wants to talk to Yusheng.

Let's go to the storeroom.

Off you go.

Here, Yusheng.

Uncle Wang, I'll take it myself.

Yusheng.

Since there was something happened to my family,

you've been helping us a lot,

and I really appreciate it.

You're a righteous young man.

Uncle Wang,

don't say that.

Xiuxiu and I grew up together.

It's what I'm supposed to do.

When you and Xiuxiu were little,

she went to school in town

while you went up the mountain every day for ragweed.

When you came back home,

you always brought her some flowers.

It's been a dozen years.

Now, you're expected to get married.

Yusheng.

Your parents died at a young age.

From now on, I'll take you as my son.

Uncle Wang...

Xiuxiu's mother and I

have been thinking of finding her a husband.

My family used to be rich.

We had everything.

But now,

we nearly have nothing.

Her mother and I

are used to living that kind of rich life.

We can't live like this.

But we have to live, anyway.

We're this old.

But Xiuxiu is still young.

Yusheng,

you and Xiuxiu have been close

just like brother and sister.

So, I'll tell you

about her marriage.

Her mother and I

found a suitable man for her.

His family does business in town.

Xiuxiu studied very well at school.

After she marries him,

she can keep accounts for his family.

And it won't be too hard for her.

If Xiuxiu marries someone in our village,

then she will have to pick ragweed,

do the laundry work, and cook.

She has never done these before.

It will be too hard for her.

As her brother,

you won't let her live a life like this, huh?

Her mother and I have nothing else to look forward to.

If she can get a good husband,

we'll have nothing to worry about.

Have more, Yusheng.

There's more pickled cabbage.

When you leave,

I'll have Xiuxiu's mother pack some for you.

Have more.

Yusheng!

Yusheng, bad news.

Something happened to Xiuxiu.

Go to her house and check.

What happened?

What happened?

What does her wedding have to do with you?

Look how drunk you are.

Nothing.

It's none of my business.

Uncle, Auntie,

what happened to Xiuxiu?

Well,

we were escorting the bride to the wedding in town.

Everything was fine in the beginning.

When we got out of the village

and reached the forest behind the mountain,

a strong wind suddenly blew.

Stop, stop.

Oh no. What is going on?

Bride.

Are you all right, bride?

Bride?

When I lifted the curtain of the sedan,

I just saw something

rush out quickly.

I didn't see clearly.

Uncle, Auntie,

don't worry.

I'll go have a look.

Excuse me, sir.

What is this place?

Looks like you're not from here.

Where are you from?

I'm from the Wang Village.

I'm here to look for someone.

Did you see a bride

in a red wedding dress?

She's Xiuxiu,

the daughter of my neighbor in the village.

Do you know what this place is?

You're super lucky.

Today, the daughter of Mr. Hu

is back home.

There.

Who are you here to see?

Xiuxiu.

Do you have an invitation?

If not, you may leave.

This isn't where you're supposed to be.

Xiuxiu from our village

was lost in this place.

Let him in.

Yusheng.

How did it go? Have you found her?

Uncle Wang,

I have something to ask you.

Twenty years ago, behind the mountain,

did you save a little fox

from a hunter?

I'll pay you, anyway.

You just let it go.

Everything has a spirit.

Sometimes we are lucky,

and sometimes we are not.

Last night, Xiuxiu told me

she was the Fox Immortal in the mountain.

She sneaked down the mountain,

only to be caught in the hunter's trap.

You saved her life.

To repay you,

she was reincarnated in your family

and became your daughter.

But she was only supposed to stay with you for 20 years.

The day she got married

would be the day she returned to her mansion.

Later,

Xiuxiu's parents passed away.

My father took me to take care of their funeral.

He even asked me to kneel in mourning.

Well.

What am I to them?

All the other villagers gossiped about me.

Do you believe Xiuxiu's story?

I don't care about that.

In my father's life,

he was keeping too many secrets.

Life was so exhausting for him.

To be honest,

I'm here

to not only collect the material for the county chronicle,

but also for something private.

My mother is Wang Suzhi.

She lived in this village, too.

Later, she worked in the city's Cultural Center.

When she was here,

your father Huang Yusheng helped her.

So, before she died,

she asked me to bring this letter here.

Unexpectedly,

before I came,

I had heard about your father's death.

It's for my father?

In the end,

someone still thought of him.

Now that it's for my father,

I'll burn it to him.

Yusheng, I hope this letter finds you well.

I've finally found the courage

to write this letter to you.

I thought as long as I left the Wang village,

I could forget what had happened.

Stop.

What's wrong, bride?

I want to go to the loo.

We're arriving soon.

Can't you hold it?

It's not good to be late, huh?

I can't hold it.

Stop, then.

Seriously.

Come on, bride.

Go.

Turn around, you guys.

You don't need to follow me.

I think I should go with you.

We're in the deep forest, after all.

Don't follow me.

I'll go alone.

Are you sure?

Be careful.

Bride, are you done?

Bride?

Bride!

Oh, who's this girl?

I'm from the Wang Village.

I lost my way back home.

The Wang Village?

It's snowing.

It's hard to walk in the night on the mountain.

Tomorrow, we'll deliver some wood down the mountain.

How about we walk you down?

What are you doing?

What happened that night

was still like a nightmare

that I could never forget.

Please forgive me for leaving without telling you.

I can't face myself.

Nor can I face you.

I came to the town

and changed my name,

expecting a new life.

However,

three months later,

I found myself pregnant.

At that time, I hated myself

and didn't know how to face my child.

Sorry.

Please forgive me for being selfish.

After working in town for three years,

I met a worker

who came from Tianjin.

We built a family

and had a son.

No one knew what happened to me.

I didn't even

tell my family about it.

What's the boy's name?

Wenhua. Huang Wenhua.

Hope he'll be a well-educated man

and go to school

in town.

I didn't dare to return to the Wang Village.

I kept this secret for years,

but I failed to lie to myself.

[Municipal Cultural Heritage Site] Now, it's been 50 years.

I've let go of what happened.

But I can't let go

of you and that boy.

If I have the next life to live,

I will repay you

with everything I have in my next life.

You asked me

why I put down these stories, huh?

Actually, it doesn't matter

if the stories are real.

The point is

whether you believe them.

In life,

one has too many stories to be told

and too many stories to hear.

Some people tell stories

while some people listen.

And some people

are born to be a story.

Yusheng,

where are you taking me to?

To the back of the mountain.

That is where

the sun rises.

[Special thanks to Yichun Forest Industry Group]

[Langxiang Forestry Bureau L.L.C.s]