Wang Shiwei was a very special figure in the history of Chinese modern literature. He is known to most as the first victim of Chinese Communist Party’s literary persecution, who was killed “by mistake” in 1947 while CCP troops were retreating from Yenan. Mao Zedong was enraged by this “mistake” and in later years kept bringing up Wang Shiwei’s essay titled “Wild Lily” as speaking from the wrong standpoint. In the essay, Wang criticized the inequality and prerogative in the Communist Yenan that China still faces today. The documentary combines a historical search with sentiments and details we can relate. It incorporates oral history from those who lived through Wang Shiwei’s times, citations from writings by himself and his contemporaries, and the writer-director’s own reflections with rarely seen newsreels, poignant animations, and stunning visuals. Those being interviewed include Wang Shiwei’s son Wang Xufeng, his former student Bo Ping, his Yenan colleagues Zeng Yanxiu and He Fang, and those who studied his case—famous journalist Dai Qing, Chinese historian Gao Hua, CCP specialist Song Jinshou and Trotskyist expert Gregor Benton.

王實味是中國現代文學史上地位特殊、而在大眾記憶中卻無跡可尋的一位作家。1942年3月，他在延安《解放日報》上發表《野百合花》，一文激起千層浪，既注定了他本人的結局，也預示了此後數十年中國知識分子在紅色政權下的遭遇。本片在呈現王實味青年時期的文學成就之後，揭示了他不能持續寫作的根源，表現了他作為一位人格獨立的知識分子在極權政治中的悲劇宿命。理解王實味的短暫人生，才能真正理解當代中國作家的尷尬位置。 本片導演魏時煜，從2008年起採訪去過延安、並與王實味同事或有過一兩面之緣的老人，以及幾位重要的王實味研究者。王實味的兒子王旭楓，也第一次接受訪問，出現在片中。本片是導演魏時煜在與彭小蓮合作《紅日風暴》之後，又一部反映、反思中國知識分子命運的作品。