A Withered Tree Meets Spring

1961 1h 40m ZH

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A critical hit during one of China’s most politically charged periods, Zheng’s follow-up to his 1959 anniversary epics merged Soviet-style socialist realism with his own breakthroughs in film technique, specifically his use of continuous camera movement in the spirit of traditional Chinese scrolls. Tractor-kino at its finest, the film revolves around two rural lovers—one struck with a deadly disease—and their eventual survival thanks to socialist medical advances.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

You Jia
Zhihua Hu
Shangguan Yunzhu
Qianli Qian
Hongsheng Liu
Jiang Tianliu
Shiming Zhi
Wu Yunfang

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Zheng Jun-li
Writers: Wang Lian, Zheng Jun-li
Languages: Mandarin
Countries: China

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

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Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

65 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Zheng Jun-li, shot by Huang Shaofen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ge Yan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

You Jia and Zhihua Hu and Shangguan Yunzhu carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt12813198 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Zheng Jun-li directs. Huang Shaofen behind the camera. Ge Yan scores. Produced in China. Dialogue in Mandarin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

165 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Zheng Jun-li, shot by Huang Shaofen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Ge Yan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5You Jia and Zhihua Hu and Shangguan Yunzhu carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt12813198 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.