All I've wanted to do since seeing this film is research the history of China during this time and then rewatch the movie with the new historical context since that's the only thing that I think detracted from my viewing experience. Other than that, I was moved throughout the entire film. I've never seen a movie that embodies the phrase "tragically beautiful" so clearly that even when the film was hard to watch, I couldn't look away. Dieyi's character was so well thought-out and watching him grow up made me feel connected to him in a way that I think is pretty rare in film. As painful as the ending is, it was exactly how I wanted it to end, and wrapped up the film in a really beautiful and symbolic way. I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about this story.