Two disaffected, unemployed Chinese youth drift through life on the streets of their industrial town, their paths crossing with that of a local young singer and dancer working for a liquor company as a spokesmodel.

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Chiang Kai-shek stepped up efforts to eliminate dissidents, and first targeted Long Yun, who was in power in Yunnan and had progressive ideas.

A struggle at Nanling Commune over proper use of farm machinery.