Novel: The story is set in China where a Chinese American, Tian Liben, attempts to invest in his hometown. An idealist who aspires to fulfill what he imagines to be the boundless potential of his native village, he becomes helplessly trapped in a complicated web of power, interest, culture, and human nature. When he eventually realizes that the village is a muddy pit and not a gold mine, he can no longer escape.

An Li (born 1962), is a Chinese writer who has dedicated himself to presenting real life and to revealing the truth behind it. Acclaimed as "the kingdom of thought, the mason of language" due to his profound insight and masterful technique, he has become a special phenomenon in contemporary Chinese literature.