Red Azalea

On the way to Shanghai, Anchee loses her red scarf. Meeting her mother, she asks about her siblings. She and her mother talk about the policy that each family must contribute a peasant to Mao’s cause, and Anchee’s mother hopes that Coral will be able to get a factory job instead of taking Anchee’s place on the farm. According to Anchee’s mother, people who don’t follow the Party policy come to bad ends. The neighbors also visit as Anchee’s news of the film studio spreads. Later, Anchee goes to the film studio in Shanghai to meet Sound of Rain, the head of the acting studio, and Soviet Wong, one of her acting instructors. As Sound of Rain explains the rules to the future actors, Anchee asks about the possibility of writing letters. Soviet Wong, shocked by her question, discusses this request and offers to check if the recipient is appropriate. Hearing this, Anchee recognizes the threat that Soviet Wong embodies.

After they outline the rules, Sound of Rain and Soviet Wong introduce the other four girls: actors who will take classes with Anchee. Anchee gives special notice to