Young Boy Trained to Become a Violinist, Learns about Happiness

Born in a remote rural village, 13-year-old boy Xiao Chun (Tang Yun) has developed a talent for the violin. His father Liu (Liu Peiqi) takes him to Beijing to find the best teacher they can get. There, the two meet Zhiang (Whang Zhiwen), a man of unique character who always sends Xiao Chun out for errands. Still he teaches the boy how to play the violin with all his heart.

Liu, however, decides to send his son to the great music teacher Professor Yu (Chen Kaige) and fires Zhiang. Xiao, trained by Yu, gets the chance to compete in an international contest, but still feels something is missing.

The movie, Together, portrays China in transition. Beijing is a whole new world to Xiao Chun and his father Liu. Capitalism, even before it has established itself, is turning their world into a place where money rules everything.

Father and son, facing this disparate world, are shown in their confusion. Director Chen Kaige poses the question: “What is dear - success or happiness?” with the answer for the audience of all Chinese people living today.

Chen Kaige`s answer is happiness. ˝If I had lived through the Culture Revolution under poverty, I might not be as confident about my answer. It seems, however, that our souls do wake up when there is nothing else to hold on to,˝ said Chen.

His message, indeed, touches the hearts of the audience at the ending part. After Liu left, Xiao Chun realizes that a success without happiness means nothing. Giving up the international contest, he instead heads for Beijing Station to be with his father. As he finds his father at the station, Xiao Chun sheds tears and gives the performance of his life.

Then, Chen overlaps the image of a girl, who competed with Xiao Chen, playing in the international contest. Tang Yun who plays Xiao Chun is an eighth-grade student at Shanghai Music School and played the violin for 19 hours for the last scene

The movie, Together, is scheduled for release on March 14.

Soo-Kyung Kim skkim@donga.com