UNDERGROUND FRAGRANCE

On the outskirts of Beijing, in a village marked for mass relocation, a young man named Yongle collects used furniture from relocated residents to resell them. It is a very dull and lonely job. To cut down on expenses, he lives in Beijing’s underground city as the majority of its residents have left their hometowns to look for opportunities in the capital. In what is left of the destroyed village, in spite of the recent fai lure of his business, Jin spends his days sitting around in his huge mansion in a symbolic display of resistance. The negotiations on his relocation compensation have fallen through. The government has cut off his electricity and soon will threaten his water supply too. Nevertheless, Jin continues to hold out and fight for a better deal. In an accident at the demolition site, Yongle injures his eyes. For a while, he leads the life of a blind man. He begins to perceive the world around him through smell and touch. It feels like a new world to him. To use the bathroom, he ties a rope to his doorknob, and then waits patiently for someone to appear before following the sound of their footsteps. One day, a girl accidentally kicks his rope. After a brief talk, she helps him find his way back to his room. During the day, Yongle listens to his neighbors’ movements; at night, the girl visits him and takes care of him. One night, they are lying in a tiny bed together, making love with their voices hushed. He knows her only through his sense of smell. Meanwhile, aboveground, Jin invites the Vice Mayor to a sumptuous dinner in a desperate attempt to save his house.