The Orphan of 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 Shanghai during the 1930s, amidst the chaos of the Japanese invasion of China. He Jin migrated here from Northeast China at a young age, and after losing her biological daughter during wartime, she established the orphanage "Chunfeng Hall" to specifically care for the orphaned children of resistance fighters. This not only helps to fill the void left by her lost daughter, but also gives her hope of one day reuniting with her in the vast sea of people. However, time passed, and twenty years went by quickly, with no chance for her and her daughter, Bing'er, to meet again. Korean resistance fighter Lee Byung-do, strapped with explosives, attempts to assassinate a Japanese general in front of the Japanese command. He is captured and his life hangs in the balance. Suddenly, panic ensues, and a large number of Japanese troops begin frantically hunting down Korean resistance members in Shanghai. Lee Byung-do's fellow comrade Ming-zhe is tasked with escorting Byung-do's daughter, Jeong-hee, back to her hometown in Korea. However, on the way, their identity is exposed and they are pursued by numerous Japanese soldiers. They encounter Xia Zhu and A Song from Chunfeng Hall. To protect everyone, Ming-zhe is shot multiple times and before dying, asks Xia Zhu to take Jeong-hee to a certain location, but before he can specify where, he takes his last breath. As a way to repay Ming-zhe for taking a bullet meant for him, Xia Zhu promises to ensure Jeong-hee's safety and decides to bring her to Chunfeng Hall for temporary shelter. Yuan Tai, the manager of Chunfeng Hall, learns that Jeong-hee is the Korean girl the Japanese are hunting. He becomes anxious and worried that Jeong-hee might bring disaster to the orphanage, and so he plots various schemes to force her out of Chunfeng Hall. Dongmei, the “big sister” at Chunfeng Hall who has grown up with Xia Zhu and harbors deep feelings for him, also tries everything to push Jeong-hee away upon discovering that Xia Zhu may be targeted by the Japanese for saving her. Fortunately, the head mistress, He Jin, learns that Jeong-hee is the daughter of resistance fighter Byung-do and insists on keeping her until Jeong-hee can find her father. Jeong-hee's presence brings a series of crises to the once peaceful Chunfeng Hall. Times of imminent danger from the Japanese army force the head mistress's calmness and little Jeong-hee's cleverness to turn the tides. From then on, Jeong-hee not only becomes a member of Chunfeng Hall but also develops a deep mother-daughter bond with He Jin. Dan Dan is a headstrong and willful girl, who supports her family by selling almond tea and lives with her grandfather and younger brother. One day, in a moment of desperation to protect Jeong-hee from being hunted by the Japanese, Xia Zhu forcibly kisses Dan Dan to evade capture. After that, they become a pair of bickering lovers, yet slowly grow fond of each other; Huang Yongxin is a wealthy youth with a hidden identity as a resistance fighter. By chance, he becomes very close friends with Xia Zhu, and he falls deeply in love with Dan Dan, leading to a complicated love triangle among these young adults. Li Gang is He Jin's loyal servant who, years ago, suffered disfigurement while protecting the He family from artillery fire in Northeast China. Despite his horrific appearance, he is kind-hearted and fearful that he might frighten the orphans at Chunfeng Hall, thus he has secluded himself in the attic for years. Innocent and kind-hearted Jeong-hee accidentally stumbles into the attic during a moment of urgency, leading to an unexpected friendship with Li Gang, who she encourages to bravely face the world. Knowing that Jeong-hee misses her father, he risks everything to rescue Byung-do from captivity in a Japanese hospital. Unexpectedly, although Byung-do survives his assassination attempt on the Japanese command, he suffers severe injuries and loses his memory, including the recollection of his beloved daughter, Jeong-hee. The people at Chunfeng Hall try various methods to help him recover his memory, but to no avail. Fate plays cruel tricks; news of Byung-do hiding at Chunfeng Hall leaks out, and Japanese Colonel Nomura arrives to engage him in a deadly duel. Byung-do is severely injured, but in his final moments, he finally regains his memory and remembers his daughter, but it is too late, and they are forever separated. Li Gang arrives just in time to kill Nomura and buries his body under a plum tree in the courtyard to avoid repercussions; however, this act sets off a series of crises for Chunfeng Hall down the line... To fulfill her father's dying wish—to scatter his ashes in their homeland in Korea—Jeong-hee tearfully bids farewell to everyone at Chunfeng Hall and sets off on her journey back home. As everyone mourns Jeong-hee's departure, Chunfeng Hall is visited by another guest, Du Wei. Mixed-race Du Wei is a multifaceted woman; she is a shrewd trader, a caring art teacher, and a sensitive artist. However, her true identity is merely a pawn in her Japanese father's ambitions. Caught in a quagmire of evil and justice, she is unable to escape her fate, pressed by her father to smuggle Chinese national treasures and transport materials for chemical weapons. Unable to defy her father’s authority, she arms herself with indifference, often dressing as a man and going by “Mr. Du”; yet, she cannot forget the teachings and admonishments of her Chinese mother, leading her to struggle with her own inner guilt. Xia Zhu, consumed by guilt over the accidental death of Dan Dan's brother, leaves Chunfeng Hall, drowning his sorrows in alcohol and living in despair. Du Wei uses Xia Zhu as a psychological subject and gives him a job to see if he can stand up again in the depths of his pessimism. However, unexpectedly, Du Wei finds herself deeply in love with Xia Zhu, but her conflicting emotions cause her to evade her real feelings. Xia Zhu also finds himself drawn to this uniquely enchanting woman but cannot confront his own emotions. After enduring emotional turmoil and the death of her mother, Du Wei becomes increasingly ashamed of her contradictory identity, feeling guilty toward both China and Japan. Unable to escape her destiny, she ultimately chooses to commit ritual suicide, ending her life grappling with both good and evil. In gratitude for their connection, Xia Zhu dedicates himself to assisting Du Wei, indirectly earning a reputation as a pro-Japanese figure, which places him at odds with his loyal friend Huang Yongxin, who is committed to resisting the Japanese. Later, a misunderstanding leads Dongmei to be mistakenly killed by Yongxin, prompting Xia Zhu to vow revenge and the two agree to a deadly duel. However, just as Xia Zhu and Yongxin are about to clash, He Jin arrives to reveal the secret that they are actually brothers. The whereabouts of Colonel Nomura remain a mystery, and as Japanese military searches intensify, both Chunfeng Hall and He Jin face enormous danger and pressure. At this time, Huang Qiusheng, the president of the chamber of commerce, resolves the grudge held for twenty years with He Jin, who is concerned that too much conflict may arise. Therefore, Qiusheng arranges for everyone to leave Shanghai by water and head towards the rear. Dan Dan brings her grandfather to Chunfeng Hall to prepare to leave and unexpectedly discovers that she is, in fact, He Jin's long-lost daughter, Bing'er, leaving everyone astonished. Before leaving, He Jin leads the orphans to burn down Chunfeng Hall, allowing all the past grievances to dissipate into the dust. Du Wei distances herself from worldly affairs, while Dan Dan sets off with the inhabitants of Chunfeng Hall towards the rear. Xia Zhu, reflecting on the past, finds that his myriad of feelings has turned to wisping smoke. When he wishes to return home and finds Chunfeng Hall has turned to ruins, he is filled with despair. He slowly walks into the Huangpu River, allowing the tide to engulf him, ending his conflicted life. As he floats in the river, looking up at the sky, he finally realizes the heavy cost of being too emotionally invested…