"NATIONAL STYLE" "An Expression of Grief" "This was Ms Ruan Lingyu's last film for our studio." "An artist for a generation has departed forever." "We respectfully offer this film to convey our sorrow." "After you graduate this term, what are your future plans?" "Higher education?" "Marriage?" "Or teaching?" "If conditions allow it, naturally higher education is best." "Marriage is essential for human beings, but you should neither be well-educated simply to improve your choice of a mate, nor to consider nation and society to be less important than your intellect." "You have at long last received a secondary school education, but you should know the nation educated, trained you, and at the same time also needs you..." "Auntie, after my cousins graduate, why aren't they going to Shanghai to study?" "I'd also like to send them, but you know our family situation." "Mama, how much does college cost?" "You can't think of a way for us to go?" "Little Sister, a primary school teacher is also a meaningful occupation." "Look at Cousin, isn't he one?" "No!" "I won't be a primary school teacher!" "It's too difficult!" "Lan, you've never spoken this way before." "After graduation, will you accept my marriage proposal?" "Big Sister, I want to drink some tea." "Why are you so happy this evening?" "Big Sister, I'm not lying when I say I love Cousin very much." "Cousin also certainly loves me, but he's too embarrassed to express it." "Big Sister, help us." "...but..." "I know Cousin can't accept your marriage proposal." "If I don't marry Cousin, I'll die!" "Little Sister, don't be this way." "I love you more deeply than I do myself." "I'll certainly help you find a lifetime of happiness." "That's my good sister!" "I'm still writing the letter to tell father..." "Cousin, I thought it over all night." "I really can't marry you, please forgive me." "Lan, you're crying." "You certainly love me." "Although I love you, there's someone I love even more." "Lan, I don't believe you." "I've never lied in my entire life." "I told Mama and she agrees." "Cousin is equally satisfied." "However, you like makeup too much." "I fear he's rather opposed to it." "I don't believe there's a man in the world who doesn't like a woman in makeup!" "Men who like women with makeup consider them as playthings." "That's insulting." "Cousin isn't that kind of man." "If you love him, put aside cosmetics and take a more serious attitude." "Ah Lan just left." "She went to teach at Huai'an Primary School." "Ah Tao took her to the boat." "THREE MONTHS LATER" "At the school directors' conference we decided to send the top graduate to Shanghai on scholarship for a higher education." "The top graduate this term is your daughter Zhang Lan." "Boyang, since graduation you've been shut up at home." "I'd like to send you to Shanghai to study at the university." "Shanghai... what a lively place!" "This is a real race horse!" "I got a letter from my mother." "My school is sending me to Shanghai for further study." "It's best to ask a classmate to come substitute for me." "Mother told me the school is sending Sister to Shanghai for university." "I also want to go this route." "Please arrange the tuition for me." "If you want to study, I'll certainly make an effort to help you." "Mama Zhang is an expert at buns." "I really love eating them." "Zhang Tao, it's Saturday." "Would you like to go out?" "You're always against me going out." "You won't let me wear makeup." "Look at them!" "We're from the country." "They are city people." "They are too extravagant, too modern!" "We must not emulate them!" "Big Sister, you always spout this depraved argument." "You consider your classmates sinners." "If all the country folk in China emulated the modern city people, and cast off their virtues of frugality and industriousness, that would be the end of the nation!" "The sights of Shanghai are so sweet." "Next week we'll visit Tangshan." "Naturally you must join us." "Travel is certainly a good thing, but too often will harm your schoolwork." "Moreover, poor students like us can't afford to go." "Although you have a husband to support you, Cousin is also suffering." "He mails you money, which isn't easy to come by." "You've lied to him several times, saying it was for medicine or reference books." "This dishonest behavior can harm your marriage." "Big Sister, this is my business, don't interfere!" "Sister Tao, I am just about bankrupt because of your school expenses." "Young Master has sent a letter from Shanghai!" "Since our son has been in Shanghai for two years, his learning has improved indeed." "I don't understand the letter, you read it." "He says he's working very hard, and always gets the highest grades... he needs money again..." "and here's a photograph..." "Look!" "Our son is so handsome." "No wonder people say he looks like a woman." "I've several things to talk to you about." "Let's go somewhere, ok?" "Mr. Xu, Sister Tao has recently engaged in many useless hobbies and meaningless socializing." "Please don't go out with her." "Besides, she has a husband." "There's one problem." "Our relationship is very serious." "I'd like to discuss it with you." "Students who have recently come from the countryside to the city to study receive a high-class education." "At the same time they get used to high-class enjoyments." "After graduating, they return to the countryside and create great difficulties for their parents..." "The parents of these young people must satisfy their desires." "The parents become bankrupt, and when they restrain their children they immediately rebel." "This phenomenon is gradually becoming more common in poor and remote villages..." "For this reason, we must firmly conquer our environment and not be controlled by a disgusting environment." "We must be high-class citizens, not high-class vagabonds." "Do you mean to scold us?" "We have no time for you." "Little Sister, I have no more patience." "I want you to break off your relationship with Xu Boyang immediately!" "Break it off?" "Huh!" "I plan to marry him." "Cousin is fast going bankrupt because of your tuition." "Is this how you treat him, with such cruelty?" "Moreover, don't you love him very much?" "Soon I'll be a college graduate." "My knowledge has advanced, and my position is elevated." "My circumstances have changed." "Naturally, I'm not as easily satisfied as before." "Little Sister, although Cousin is a primary school teacher," "Xu Boyang has not attained his level of learning and character." "Don't interfere!" "If Cousin so good, why don't you marry him?" "Oh, you are bitterly against Boyang?" "Originally you had other intentions." "My sister is strongly opposed to our relationship, but originally she was after you." "Come, look, everybody!" "Zhang Lan wrote a letter to me proposing marriage." "A female sage who also can speak of love, what a joke." "I have some startling news." "Sage Zhang Lan's proposal of marriage to Xu Boyang was refused by Old Xu." "A woman proposing marriage to a man is shameful enough." "But to be rejected!" "The female sage has lost face for us women." "Zhang Lan isn't this sort of person." "It's certainly Old Xu's rumor." "Old Xu isn't a good man." "Don't believe him." "Whether it's a rumor or not, this Zhang Lan is too annoying, with her unappealing face always teaching people a lesson." "Now we have an opportunity to get back at her." "Not bad." "What you say is delightful." "Today she has fallen into our hands." "We must speak out!" "Good idea, I'll go take care of it!" "It's a tragedy of lost love." "The doctor says your illness is caused by overstimulation to the nerves." "You'll recover in one or two months." "Final exams have ended now." "Best to slowly convalesce." "It's not important if I graduate a bit late." "I hope you'll return home earlier to do your best for our alma mater." "Please don't misunderstand." "I don't love Xu Boyang at all." "This joke isn't about our affairs." "It's because you've regularly offended too many classmates." "I won't allow them to humiliate me in this way, or to slander me." "I feel that one should be happy to be persecuted for the sake of justice." "Little Sister, you must know human beings have two paths." "The gate to destruction is wide, the road is big, with many people." "The gate to truth is narrow, the road is small, with few people." "Quick, prepare these, she'll be here in a half hour," "We'll first go to the school for a meeting." "This is my luggage." "Take it home." "Today I'll introduce two new teachers:" "Xu Boyang and Zhang Tao." "They've just returned home after graduating from university in Shanghai." "They certainly have new teaching skills and materials to contribute to our school." "Look at Mr. Xu's hair." "It's more exquisite than a woman's." "Miss Zhang's hair is really pretty." "I heard she had it done at a foreign beauty parlor." "It's called a permanent wave." "It takes four or five hours, and costs over ten foreign dollars." "Look!" "Her fingernails are rouged." "Fool!" "It's not rouge, but "Cutex," red nail polish." "I saw it in the newspaper." "What's that stick on the back of her shoe?" "Those are dancing shoes." "You can't dance without them." "Previously Papa and Mama wouldn't let me wear makeup." "Now they can't say anything." "If a teacher wears makeup, and if you can't emulate her, then who?" "How is Ah Lan's illness?" "I'm very worried, and want to go to Shanghai to see her." "It's best to ask Ms. Zhang Tao to substitute for two months." "For the past ten years, I've never left my teaching for a day." "Now that you have returned, I can relax and leave..." "Under no circumstances wear this kind of makeup again." "You must be an example for the students Moreover, please remember our school motto." "Didn't you once really like to eat Mama Zhang's buns?" "Perhaps my taste has changed now!" "Daughter Lan, how's your illness?" "It's not serious, is it?" "It's not serious, Mama." "After I've recovered, the school will allow me to take makeup exams." "How did you get away to Shanghai?" "I left the school in the hands of Ah Tao and Xu Boyang." "I think they are stronger than me." "They certainly have new knowledge to impart to the students." "In our village, women don't come home so late." "You're the first!" "In our village, women don't bring up divorce." "I'm also the first!" "I understand very well..." "I have no qualifications or ability to be your husband now... but..." "But what?" "Are you afraid of society's ridicule, or mother's opposition?" "These problems shouldn't be considered by contemporary youth like ourselves." "I have no conditions for the divorce." "Best is for you to nod your head that this problem is resolved." "Nod your head." "Principal Zhang has returned, and has asked to see you two." "I didn't expect if I left the school in your hands for two months it would degenerate like this!" "Did you want us to be corrupt village schoolmasters and private tutors?" "I can't watch these simple and unaffected children be sacrificed at your hands!" "Our school had great expectations for the new teachers Xu and Zhang." "We thought we'd rely on their new knowledge to improve the schoolwork of our students..." "But we lost hope in them these past two months." "The students' schoolwork definitely didn't improve." "All that improved were their extravagant lifestyles and romantic behavior..." "The goal of study lies in proper conduct." "Isn't the future goal of our students to serve the nation and benefit mankind?" "Or is it to be a Miss, to be a flower vase, to willingly be a social parasite?" "Students must know: recently industry has failed and farms have gone bankrupt." "Our district has 100,000 poverty-stricken women." "We only have you hundred or so with a secondary school education." "Study hard, or you'll let down the nation and society!" "Today Principal Zhang announced the discharge of our son and her daughter." "This is really inconsiderate to her colleagues." "Our school needs a bit of reform." "Her colleagues consider Principal Zhang's action rather inappropriate." "Not bad!" "We should follow the new trends and advances." "Principal Zhang's thinking is too old-fashioned." "Her colleagues have a proposal..." "However, don't cause my mother too much embarrassment." "Therefore I have no choice but to ask Mr. Xu and Miss Zhang to resign to maintain the conduct and discipline of our school." "...dismissed..." "I've served this school for ten years and you are like my own flesh and blood." "Now I must leave here." "Take my speech as my parting advice to you." "Master Rong, you really are talented at understanding current affairs." "This modern shop guarantees you'll make a ten-fold profit." "If you have two female shop clerks, your business will be even better." "These goods are too inferior." "I don't want them." "I want imported, high quality goods." "Boss, switching to a Western suit makes you look ten years younger." "At least five years younger." "Business is really good;" "how do you reward Miss?" "Why are you always hanging around the shop?" "Such a woman, all rouged and powdered, how is she a good thing!" "Extravagant styles and wasteful customs are like fierce floods and savage beasts." "Ladies and Gentleman, for several thousand years our cities and villages have depended on our frugality and industriousness, which we have maintained until today." "And now?" "Individual production power decreases daily, our consumer prices increase daily" "Entire cities go bankrupt before our eyes." "When the nation is in imminent danger, and famine and disaster are everywhere, we still have the idea to wear gorgeous clothes and heavy makeup, to be modern romantics, to provoke our impoverished, suffering countrymen?" "We all know that external adornment makes us look neat and clean." "Why don't we know to cleanse our hearts of depravity and filth?" "We simply resemble a dead person in a grave." "Our external appearance is beautiful and imposing, but inside we're just a pile of rotten bones." "Don't we call daily for women's liberation, and increasing women's rights?" "Then why do we gel our hair, wear makeup and willingly become playthings?" "We must wake up immediately, and use the time we spend on cosmetics in the service of society, and use the money we spend on clothes to establish a career." "Not until then can the nation and its citizens be saved." "We must immediately implement New Life." "Using decorum, righteousness, honesty and shame to adorn our hearts, using truth and justice to purify our souls will allow us to be reborn in a new life!" "Improve decorum, righteousness, honesty and shame!" "Advocate truth and justice!" "Overthrow extravagance and romanticism!" "Implement New Life!" "Reflecting on the work of the past few days, conditions are good." "The hearts of the people in our district have not yet died." "Our future is very optimistic." "Mama!" "I come today in great shame, but I'm already enlightened." "Today I've come to say goodbye." "Boyang and I want to start a primary school in the countryside." "Your sister will be home soon." "She knows your courage in repenting and mending your ways, and will certainly be very gratified." "Before it was as if we were dead." "After we implemented New Life, we were born again into a new life." "Sister Tao truly has the courage to reform." "Yesterday she and Xu Boyang went to a river village to be primary school teachers." "She said she wants to live on a farm to implement the New Life Movement." "Sister Lan, do you remember five years ago we got engaged in this spot?" "Can you still accept my marriage proposal now?" "Although I love you, I love another as well!" "You already cheated me out of several years." "Now I don't believe you." "My outlook on life has changed now." "I feel that besides love of family, there is an even greater love." "This great love must be pursued outside of the family." "This is our educational duty." "You don't want to ever get married because you want to have a career in education?" "No." "I mean I want to wait several years before discussing marriage." "Brother Zuo, we must not let love occupy our entire life." "THE END"