Fanny Ebner's life is changed forever when she meets Ma Yunlong, a Chinese policeman who's training in Vienna. Embarking on a whirlwind romance, she eventually goes to China against the wishes of her parents, family and friends. Their brief honeymoon like bliss is interrupted by the Chinese cultural upheaval, which forces the newlyweds into hiding to escape the Communists. Yunlong is captured and sent to prison camp, forcing Fanny, isolated from all friends and family to find a way to survive in a totally foreign land