A few years after the Anshi Rebellion, the Tibetan army invaded the southwest and the Tang dynasty military commander Gao Shi suffered a defeat in battle. Chang'an was in imminent danger. Gao Shi, who was trapped in the besieged city, recalled his past experiences with Li Bai to the eunuch who served as the military supervisor.

Based on Zhou Keqin's excellent novel, Xu Mao and His Daughters weaves a story about the life and sufferings of Xu Mao, an aging peasant and his four daughters in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. They struggle to make ends meet since his wife's death. Preoccupied with worries, he loses touch with his maturing daughters. It takes the stubborn but kindly intervention of a woman making a governmental inspection tour to cause father and daughters to appreciate their loving family.