Yimou Zhang	...	(Director)
Wei Lu, Hua Yu	...	(Writer)
You Ge	...	Xu Fugui
Li Gong	...	Xu Jiazhen
Ben Niu	...	Town Chief
Xiao Cong	...
Deng Fei	...	Xu Youqing
Tao Guo	...	Chunsheng
Zongluo Huang	...	Fu Gui's dad
Wu Jiang	...	Wan Erxi
Tianchi Liu	...	Xu Fengxia, as an adult
Zhang Lu	...
Dahong Ni	...	Long'er
Yan Su	...
Jiping Zhao	...	Composer
Yue Lü	...	Cinematographer
Yuan Du	...	Editor

Summary: Fugui and Jiazhen endure tumultuous events in China as their personal fortunes move from wealthy landownership to peasantry. Addicted to gambling, Fugui loses everything. In the years that follow he is pressed into both the nationalist and communist armies, while Jiazhen is forced into menial work. They raise a family and survive, managing "to live" from the 40's to the 70's in this epic, but personal, story of life through an amazing period.