Cheng Li is visiting Tianjin for the Hungry Ghost Festival to honor his parents and ancestors. In particular, he wants to learn and understand more about his father who died at the time of the Tiananmen Square Uprising in 1989, before he was born. He meets Mr. Taifu, an important figure in the Tianjin Syndicate, who was once a close friend to his family. They are drawn to the Confucius Temple only to be met by the most heinous sight. And thereafter Cheng Li discovers further that much of their shared past was characterized by appalling dealings, and that there were many others lurking in the background who had been drawn into the ongoing altercations too, from political leaders to innocent children, and even to Cultural Revolution Red Guards. He is inspired to ...well... visit the Qilihai Nature Reserve for starters.