The movie, “Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl”, shows us a tragedy during the Cultural Revolution. In fact, it is a typical example during that 10-year dark period. This movie ends up with the death of the female and male protagonists, Xiu Xiu and Lao Jin. The Cultural Revolution indirectly sends them to death. Xiu Xiu is a young, pure, beautiful teenaged girl who likes bathing very much. Her purity is explicitly shown when the movie opens with the scene of her taking a bath. Like the other half million of “Intellectual Youth”, Xiu Xiu is sent down to Northwest of China where it’s far away from her home, Chengdu. Her purity draws the attention of the lonely middle aged man, Lao Jin. Lao Jin’s love towards Xiu Xiu stands despite the fact that she later loses her chastity. In this essay, I will illustrate Lao Jin’s hidden love towards Xiu Xiu.

Lao Jin loves Xiu Xiu because of her purity. Her purity immediately impresses Lao Jin when he meets her in a theatre. Later, Xiu Xiu is assigned to Lao Jin to learn horse raising in order to organize a girl cavalry. Xiu Xiu, in fact, is afraid of staying with a man alone. Yet, her knowing of Lao Jin’s losing of his sex organ makes her stay calm. Later, Xiu Xiu gradually accepts him. Lao Jin’s love towards Xiu Xiu can be seen in his care and concern. She likes bathing even though water is difficult to be obtained in the north. To cheer her up, he builds a “Tian Yu”, a pond for her. Xiu Xiu thanks him happily for his kindness. Trying his level best to please Xiu Xiu is a rigid proof of his love to her.

Lao Jin understandings for their coming from two different worlds make him hide his love. He does not speak openly to her, but tries to show her implicitly. One day, one of the shoes of Xiu Xiu was lost. She   was upset and told  Lao Jin. Lao Jin replied that her shoe must be stolen by others. He carried on by telling her that when a man loved a girl, he would  steal one of her shoes. It is the custom there. Although the identity of that person who steals is not disclosed explicitly, we can easily guess who he is. Lao Jin has no guts to admit it directly to Xiu Xiu. His fear of being rejected by Xiu Xiu lies in their differences in age, education level, life style and the like. He can do nothing but keeping his eye on her quietly. Lao Jin can only love Xiu Xiu in his heart!

Lao Jin likes to listen to Xiu Xiu’s sharing about her family. He craves for knowing more about her. Xiu Xiu’s crying for missing her family makes his heart ache. Officials in headquarters promised Xiu Xiu to bring her back after six months. Xiu Xiu’s informing Lao Jin’s about her leaving shocks him and the wood in Lao Jin’s hand falls onto the ground. That day, he grabs every minute to look at Xiu Xiu. His eyes haven’t left Xiu Xiu even though he is cooking. Lao Jin’s love towards her drives him to observe her every single movement. It is natural for him to hope that he can stay with Xiu Xiu for life. His hope grows again when no one takes Xiu Xiu away. His happiness is shown on the face when he can still see Xiu Xiu in the tent after work. He doesn’t mind as her venting anger on her. What can be better than staying with the one whom he loves?

Lao Jin’s love towards Xiu Xiu holds firmly even though Xiu Xiu has lost her purity. His love towards Xiu Xiu grows when they stay together. He now loves her entire person including her strengths and weaknesses. Xiu Xiu is waiting hopelessly. One day, a peddler comes to the tent and cheats Xiu Xiu by telling her that he has already helped many girls to go home. Building up connection seems to be the only way to return home. Homesickness drives her to have sex with him, losing the chastity, which is of utmost importance, in exchange of a resident permit in Chengdu. Her having sex with the peddler makes Lao Jin feel sad. Yet, he can’t help the situation. What he can only do is to bring water that embodies love and care to Xiu Xiu to wash her physical dirt and immorality. Some days later, Xiu Xiu has sex again. This time, it makes Lao Jin more frustrated. His unwillingness to witness Xiu Xiu having sex with men deters him from entering the tent. Love makes Lao Jin suffer! Yet, again, it’s love that makes Lao Jin to get water in the river which is far away from the tent.

There’s no place for Lao Jin to air his feeling. Lao Jin’s heart sinks when he sees Xiu Xiu’s ignorance traps her own. His burning of the shoes of that immoral man reflects his true love towards Xiu Xiu, thus, his anger towards those immoral men and the helplessness while seeing Xiu Xiu having sex with others. But it’s a pity that Xiu Xiu doesn’t know his love at all. She loses her temper easily while talking with Lao Jin. Xiu Xiu’s abuse of water to wash the evil apple offered by those men upsets and disappoints Lao Jin. Once, Lao Jin can’t bear Xiu Xiu’s having sex with others. He doesn’t want her lovers to be cheated again. He then suggests bringing her to Hong Yen Country, thus, she can go back home by bus. Xiu Xiu does not cherish his care and concern. In contrast, she despises and teases him. When Xiu Xiu is cleaning her naked body, he doesn’t have a look. It implies that Lao Jin loves Xiu Xiu the person, but not her body. He pays high respect to her, as she’s the one whom he loves.

Lao Jin tries his best to protect Xiu Xiu. Having discovered that Xiu Xiu is pregnant, he screws around in the headquarters and wants to find out the one who should be responsible. Later, he wants to kill them all. Xiu Xiu is sent to the maternity ward. After having abortion, a disabled enters the room and again has sex with Xiu Xiu. Lao Jin is very angry but he can’t stop him as he’s surrounded by a group of people. He is very depressed and wants to kill the one who taints Xiu Xiu. He then dares not sleep and sits outside the room to prevent anyone from entering it. Later, he can’t find Xiu Xiu in the room and thus looking for her around madly. Xiu Xiu goes to get water to wash her body again and is fainted on the ground. Lao Jin is heart breaking and takes up her. Tears coming out from his eyes reflect his hidden and genuine love towards Xiu Xiu. He can no longer hide his feeling. His long suppressed feeling is released. Tear drops on Xiu Xiu’s face; thus, she can feel his love.

Xiu Xiu is tired to have sex with men and she knows that it’s of no use. She wants to kill herself. Then, she can return home. She fails to do it and asks Lao Jin to help. Xiu Xiu restores her dressing and hair style that shows at the very beginning. Lao Jin shoots her down painfully. Xiu Xiu can become pure again only if she’s dead which means that she returns to nature. He then brings it back to the “Tian Yu” and then shoots his own down. Lao Jin wants to accompany her and doesn’t want to leave her alone. They stay together. They gain peace after death.

All in all, the portrayal of hidden love in Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl touches my heart. One can love the other without expressing his/her feeling. From the hidden love of Lao Jin, a message is brought out. One should love the entire person of his/her partner. To love both the strengths and weaknesses of the lover is important. Love towards lovers should resemble the eternal rock beneath; time will stand firmly.

(1405 words)