The stories in the book, which he admits was strongly influenced by Chekhov, focus on a military unit stationed on China's borders and deal with the loves, hates, joys, and sorrows of both soldiers and ordinary citizens.
哈金承認它深受契訶夫影響，所有故事都集中在中國邊境地區的一支軍隊，呈現軍人與老百姓的喜怒哀樂，故事和故事相互支援，匯構成一幅歷史的小小畫片。