Political Suppression
Wen the Dreamer and Swirl are arrested and punished as part of Mao Zedong's efforts to suppress political dissidents and the rise of Western ideologies in China. They are re-educated and put through hard labor. Ba Lute however, is a nationalist who loves his country and believes in the Communist agenda. He is a war veteran who fought in the civil war as part of the People's Liberation Army.
Cultural Upheaval
During the Cultural Revolution, Mao orders an upheaval that leads to a complete societal shutdown. Multiple Massacres take place all around China and Communist leaders with opposing ideologies are completely purged, stripped of their wealth, ranks, and honor. People take arms to eradicate all forms of capitalism. Millions of people are killed, and properties are looted and destroyed.
Immigration/ Exile
As a means to get rid of opposing leadership, many leaders are exiled and sent to rural areas to completely remove them from the trappings of power. In the late 1980s, protests spark which threatens the party's grip on power. They react by cracking down militarily on the Tiananmen Square protests led by Chinese students. Ai-ming and Yiwen are among the students who protested at the square, and they fear being arrested. Ai-Ming flees to Canada to escape the crackdown on protestors.
