Can you imagine a couple who have been married for half a century, but because of their ideals and missions, they have been separated for 44 years, during which time they have hardly met face-to-face. This is not the plot of the movie, but the story of Wu Yuzhang and You Binglian that really happened in China in the early 20th century. Wu Yuzhang, a passionate intellectual, resolutely went to Japan in order to study and save the country, while You Binglian, who remained in China, took on the heavy responsibility of taking care of the family by herself. In that era when communication was inconvenient, the letters that arrived late carried their thoughts and support for each other. But is such a sacrifice worth it, and what kind of test did their love and marriage endure?
In 1896, in this ancient and turbulent land of China, 18-year-old Wu Yuzhang and 20-year-old You Binglian married each other. Wu Yuzhang was born in a scholarly family and was a rare talented young man of that era, while You Binglian was a simple peasant girl, and the worlds of the two should not have intersected. The arrangement of fate brought them together and began their extraordinary married life.
When they first got married, Wu Yuzhang and You Binglian also looked forward to a common future. However, Wu Yuzhang has a bigger dream in his heart - to save the country. Knowing that his personal power is limited, he decided to go east to Japan, hoping to find a way to revitalize China by learning advanced knowledge and technology. Although this decision came out of the righteousness of the country and the nation, it also invisibly widened the distance between him and You Binglian.
From 1896 to 1940, Wu Yuzhang's study and exploration in Japan occupied almost half of his life. There, he not only learned advanced scientific and management knowledge, but also deeply participated in local academic exchanges. He always had a sense of mission in his heart, and that was to apply what he had learned to China's modernization process.
In China, You Binglian is a different scene. Although she is illiterate, she adheres to her responsibilities to her family in her own way. She needs to take care of the two children and the big and small affairs of the family alone. Despite the hardships of life, You Binglian never complained. With her perseverance, she supported the family and waited for her husband's return.
In these 44 long years of waiting, Wu Yuzhang and You Binglian's only emotional sustenance is letters. In those days, letters often took months or even longer to reach the other party. Each letter is like a seed that crosses the ocean, nurturing their unwavering feelings for each other and hope for the future. Wu Yuzhang shared his learning progress and thoughts in the letter, while You Binglian delicately recounted the bits and pieces of the family and the growth of the children in the letter. Although the means of communication are limited, the true feelings between these lines have become an important bond for them to maintain their relationship.
Over time, Wu Yuzhang's influence in Japan grew, and he not only became a scholar, but also actively participated in the National Salvation Movement. His life was filled with conferences and lectures, in stark contrast to the quiet life he had in his hometown. In China, You Binglian has gradually become accustomed to the absence of her husband, although her world is small, it is also full of the warmth of life and the laughter of children.
Although the two rely on letters to maintain a marriage relationship as light as water, their deep loneliness and each other's thoughts cannot be fully expressed in words. In that era of underdeveloped information, every waiting for a letter was full of unknowns and anxieties. You Binglian often looks at the bright moon outside the window in the dead of night, imagining whether her husband, who is far away, also misses her and her children under the same moonlight.
In 1940, when Wu Yuzhang returned to his hometown full of expectations after 44 years of studying and saving the country, he found that everything was not the way it used to be. His children have grown up, and although he and You Binglian have lost the passion of the past, they have more deep respect and understanding for each other. The years of separation experienced by the two together, although full of hardships and sacrifices, also forged a legendary marriage process.
Looking back at the story of Wu Yuzhang and You Binglian, we can't help but ask, is their sacrifice worth it? Can their marriage still be called love? Perhaps, in their dictionary, love and marriage are not only mutually reinforcing, but also mutually supportive, even if they cross thousands of mountains and rivers. In their stories, we see not only the dust of history, but also the deep imprint of personal emotions intertwined with the fate of the country. This is not only a review of the past, but also a deep reflection on how we understand love and marriage today.