Young teen girl Xiu Xiu is sent away to a remote corner of the Sichuan steppes for manual labor in 1975 (sending young people to there was a part of Cultural Revolution in China). A year later, she agrees to go to even more remote spot with a Tibetan saddle tramp Lao Jin to learn horse herding.

Li Xiaolu
as Wen Xiu

Lopsang
as Lao Jin

Zheng Qian
as Li Chuanbei

Lü Yue
as Father

Gao Jie
as Mother

Li Zhizhi
as Sister

Lü Zhong
as Belt Man

Qiao Qian
as Chen Li

Jiang Cheng
as Rider A

Yang Xiaoyu
as Girl