Video - Genuine Love

Summary

This Chinese film (with English subtext) was set in the western region of Urumqi in the 1950s (certainly before 1966 Cultural Revolution) when revolutionary fervour was gradually giving way to the harsh reality of peace-time governance. The economy was pre-industrial and agricultural, where government is the sole producer and sole employer. Public service and facilities were basic. It was a difficult and uncertain period particularly for the majority Muslim population under atheistic communist rule.

The film opened with a scene of an under-10 girl (Caixia) dropped off a tractor at an intersection near a steppe settlement. Dazed and confused, she reoriented herself and made for the next person her spirit directed her to, an older teenage boy (Arman) returning home from school. Her unkempt attire marked her out and her Mao hat gave her a boy’s appearance but Arman listened with empathy to her lip-quivering inquiry for the way to her village before melting away to join other kids. Caixia followed him at a distance.

Arman is one of 11 (mostly adopted) children of a young couple living in a large yurt, whose wealth concentrated on self-emptying love. On getting home for an already set lunch, he sneaked his bread, made for the door before her mother, Anipha, called him to explain. He told her about a strange child outside. Anipha immediately left the 11 children inside, went out, found Caixia and brought her home. With a flood of love, compassion and kindness; she made her feel at home, gave her food, got the other children to show her kindness until her husband return. Later she gave her a tender scrub in tub, a taste of royal bathe.

In the face of scarce resources, the blacksmith/herder husband preferred sending Caixa to the state, while Anipha, insisted on her stability in their home. She even spent the family savings seeking a cure for Caixia’s follicle infection emphasising that, “She is a girl.” Tensions between the couple and between the children where resolved with presence and directness of words.

The couple had an ambient presence that glued the children together, a mutual self-giving that anchored their marriage in the face of adversity. The husband lost his self-employment through a fire caused by some of the children. He humbly joined Anipha’s job of cleaning lamb entrails. He made new clothes for the children from his old ones. The community contributed generously from time to time until government resources started trickling in. It takes a community to train children. The quality of affection the children had for their parents was magnificent. Moments of joy radiated.

Ordinariness of daily living expressed commitment to goodness, intelligence, truth, beauty and love. Empathy, attention and patience glowed in a sacred space where neither God was mentioned nor symbols of religion displayed. Children weren’t seen as burden. The number of children grew to 19 and they all grew up. In joy, pain, hurt and sorrows; the foundational core of the spirit provided the path for good actions, reconciliations, renewal and restorations.

This deeply touching film on universal foundation human values is highly recommended.

Life is beautiful!