Orphan of the Flames

This film (drama)Also known as烽火孤儿，is amainland ChinaProducerbeauty live，At2007Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin Chinese，Current Douban rating7.3(For reference only)。

The story takes place in 1930s Shanghai, a city engulfed in the smoke of war during the Japanese invasion of China. He Jin, having migrated from Northeast China, lost her biological daughter during the turmoil of war. In response, she established the orphanage Chunfeng Hall, specifically to care for the orphaned children of anti-Japanese warriors, partly to fill the void left by her lost daughter, and partly hoping to be reunited with her. However, as time passed, twenty years went by in a flash, and she and her daughter, Bing'er, were still destined never to meet again. The Korean anti-Japanese warrior Li Bingdao, with a bomb strapped to him, attempted to assassinate a Japanese general in front of the Japanese command but was captured. His life hung in the balance. Tension rose as the Japanese army frantically searched for Korean resistance members throughout Shanghai. Li Bingdao’s comrade Mingzhe was tasked with safely escorting Bingdao's daughter, Zhengxi, back to her hometown in Korea. However, along the route, Zhengxi's identity was compromised, leading to a massive pursuit by the Japanese army. During this incident, he encountered Xia Zhu and A Song from Chunfeng Hall. Mingzhe was shot several times while trying to protect them and, before dying, asked Xia Zhu to send Zhengxi to a specified location, but he died before revealing where it was. To repay Mingzhe for taking a bullet for him, Xia Zhu promised to keep Zhengxi safe and decided to bring her back to Chunfeng Hall for the time being. The steward of Chunfeng Hall, Yan Tai, learned that Zhengxi was the Korean girl the Japanese were searching for and was overwhelmed with anxiety, fearing that her presence would lead to disaster for the orphanage. He devised many schemes to drive Zhengxi away from Chunfeng Hall. Dongmei, the eldest sister at the orphanage who grew up with Xia Zhu and loved him deeply, also sought to drive Zhengxi away, worrying that Xia Zhu would be targeted by the Japanese for saving her. Thankfully, the headmistress He Jin learned that Zhengxi was the daughter of anti-Japanese warrior Bingdao and insisted on keeping her, stating that she could not leave Chunfeng Hall until she found her father. Zhengxi’s arrival brought a series of crises to the calm Chunfeng Hall, with several close encounters with the Japanese army. Thanks to the headmistress's calmness in danger and little Zhengxi's cleverness and bravery, they managed to avert disaster. Afterward, Zhengxi not only became part of Chunfeng Hall but also formed a deep maternal bond with He Jin. Dandan is a strong-willed girl who sells almond tea to support her family, consisting of her grandfather and younger brother. One day, in an effort to protect Zhengxi from the Japanese, Xia Zhu impulsively kissed Dandan and managed to evade capture. After this, Xia Zhu and Dandan turned into a pair of quarreling lovers, but slowly, feelings began to blossom between them. Huang Yongxin is the son of a wealthy family, but in reality, he is also an anti-Japanese fighter. By chance, he and Xia Zhu became best friends, while Yongxin fell in love with Dandan at first sight, creating a complicated love triangle among the young characters. Li Gang is a loyal servant of headmistress He Jin. Years ago, he suffered injuries while protecting He Jin's family from artillery fire in Northeast China, leaving him disfigured and terrifying to behold. With a kind heart, he feared that his appearance would scare the orphans at Chunfeng Hall, so he spent years hiding in the attic, afraid to step out into the world. Innocent and kind-hearted Zhengxi inadvertently stumbled into the attic and formed a friendship with Li Gang, bringing him out of his self-imposed isolation. Knowing Zhengxi missed her father, he risked everything to rescue Bingdao from the Japanese hospital where he was imprisoned. Unfortunately, after Li Bingdao attempted to assassinate a Japanese commander, he was severely injured and lost his memory, having no recollection of his beloved daughter Zhengxi. The staff at Chunfeng Hall tried every means to help Bingdao regain his memory, but their efforts were in vain. Fate played a cruel hand when the news of Bingdao hiding at Chunfeng Hall leaked out. Japanese Colonel Nomura went alone to confront him, resulting in a deadly duel. Bingdao was injured repeatedly, but in his final moments, he finally regained his memory and remembered his daughter. Unfortunately, it was too late, and they were forever separated by death. Li Gang arrived in time to kill Nomura but, to avoid further trouble, buried his body under a plum tree in the courtyard, unwittingly planting the seeds of future crises for Chunfeng Hall. Zhengxi, fulfilling her father's dying wish to scatter his ashes in their Korean homeland, tearfully bid farewell to everyone at Chunfeng Hall and embarked on her journey home. While everyone mourned Zhengxi's departure, Chunfeng Hall received another visitor, Du Wei. Du Wei, a mixed-race individual of Chinese and Japanese descent, is a multifaceted woman—a shrewd businesswoman, a caring art teacher, and a sensitive artist. In truth, her most authentic identity is that of a tool for her Japanese father's ambitious schemes. She finds herself mired in a moral quagmire, unable to escape and unsure how to extricate herself. Pressured by her father to complete a mission of stealing China’s national treasures and transporting materials for chemical weapons, she dares not defy his authority and thus arms herself with indifference, often dressing as a man—earning her the nickname "Mr. Du." Yet, she cannot forget her Chinese mother's teachings and admonishments, leading her to constantly struggle with her inner guilt. Xia Zhu, feeling guilty over the accidental death of Dandan's brother, left Chunfeng Hall, spending his days in a haze of alcohol, feeling as if life was not worth living. Du Wei saw Xia Zhu as a psychological experiment and offered him work to see if he could rise again from his deep despair. However, fate twisted unexpectedly, and Du Wei found herself falling deeply in love with Xia Zhu, but she repeatedly avoided confronting her true feelings. Xia Zhu, too, found himself irresistibly drawn to this uniquely charismatic woman during their interactions but could not face his own emotions. After grappling with the turmoil of her emotions and the death of her mother, Du Wei increasingly felt ashamed of her conflicting identity. She felt guilt towards China and Japan alike and, unable to escape her fateful cycle, ultimately chose to commit seppuku to end her life filled with both evil and goodness in the most painful manner. In gratitude for their acquaintance, Xia Zhu devoted himself to helping Du Wei, indirectly leading to him being labeled as pro-Japanese. This put him in opposition to Huang Yongxin, who was committed to resisting the Japanese, turning their once close friendship into enmity. Soon after, an unfortunate misunderstanding led to Dongmei being killed by Yongxin, believing her to be Mr. Du. Xia Zhu swore revenge, and they agreed to a life-and-death duel. Just as Xia Zhu and Yongxin were locked in battle, He Jin intervened to reveal the secret that they were actually brothers. The whereabouts of Colonel Nomura were shrouded in mystery, and the Japanese army's search intensified, bringing great danger and pressure to Chunfeng Hall and He Jin. At this point, the Chamber of Commerce president Huang Qiusheng reconciled with He Jin after twenty years of grievances. Fearing too many fatalities might occur, Qiusheng arranged for everyone to leave Shanghai by water route towards the rear. Dandan brought her grandfather to Chunfeng Hall for departure and unexpectedly discovered that she was, in fact, He Jin's long-lost daughter Bing'er, leading to a heartfelt reunion for everyone. Before leaving, He Jin led the orphans in burning down Chunfeng Hall, allowing all grievances to vanish into the desolate earth. Du Wei distanced herself from the world, while Dandan journeyed to the rear with the others from Chunfeng Hall. Xia Zhu reflected on the past, and all of his emotions dissipated like smoke. When he decided to return home, he found Chunfeng Hall had become a ruin. In despair, he walked slowly into the Huangpu River, allowing the tide to consume him, thus ending his conflicted life. As he floated in the river, looking up at the sky, he finally understood the heavy price of too much emotion...