Eclipse of the Bright Moon

Yingying, a Chinese student whose father is a police inspector, and her boyfriend, Mingyue, take part in all the major political events that occurred in Xi'an, China during in 1989: a hunger strike, rumors of immolations, stealing weapons from the armory, and a demonstration in Tiananmen Square that turned into a deadly riot. Yingying and Mingyue are torn between anger at their fathers and the government that makes them want to struggle for justice and democracy, and the desire to survive, marry, and raise a family.

Meanwhile, Dan Norton, an American professor, receives documents politically sensitive to the Chinese government from his friend and mentor, Mingyue's father, and harbors Mingyue when he is sought by the police. The professor, threatened with arrest for espionage, is torn between his aggressive Marine Corps background and the desire to follow a Buddhist path.