The Black Cannon Incident 1985

Zhao Shuxin, Liu Zifeng, is a capable engineer and German language interpreter working for a mining company. He leads a quiet, solitary life, and his favorite hobby is playing Chinese chess alone. The chessboard, with its familiar pieces, is more than a game to him—it’s a trusted companion that has stayed with him for years. One day, after returning from a business trip, Zhao discovers that one of his chess pieces—the black cannon—has vanished. Despite the heavy rain, he acts quickly, sending a telegram to the hotel he stayed at before, requesting help to locate the missing piece in Room 301: Missing black cannon. 301. Searching. Zhao. This cryptic message is meant to summon assistance, but its ambiguous wording triggers concern among the authorities.

From that moment, Zhao finds himself under scrutiny as the so-called Black Cannon Incident becomes a formal investigation. He is abruptly removed from his post, and his role as interpreter is handed over to the new arrival, Feng Liangcai, Yang Yazhou. Feng, a tourism interpreter with limited engineering know-how, is ill-equipped for the WD project’s demands, and his errors quickly begin to cause friction. Hans Schmidt, the German specialist, Gerhard Olschewski, returns to the project for a second time, eager to work with Zhao again and restore their former partnership. Yet Zhao’s replacement complicates the collaboration, and Hans’s insistence on resuming their cooperation creates tension between the two men. As the project falters under miscommunication, Zhao finds himself inadvertently drawn into a web of suspicion.

Meanwhile, Li Renzhong, the company manager, Gao Ming, happens upon Zhao’s chess set and notices the missing black cannon. This discovery seems to resolve the puzzle, but the situation stalls in a political maze. In a Party committee meeting, Li argues that Zhao should be allowed to return to his interpreter duties, yet Zhou Yuzhen, the Party Chief, aims to complete a thorough clarification of the incident before any action is taken. Zhao, meanwhile, keeps working at a distance, quietly monitoring the project’s progress at night with a flashlight and seizing moments of information during brief meetings with Hans. The new interpreter’s mistakes begin to take a toll: a misinterpretation of the word “bearing” as “bracket” leads to a serious error that damages components during a test run and triggers substantial financial loss.

As the investigation unfolds, a postal package arrives, and Zhou, along with the others, covertly checks it. Inside lies the missing Black Cannon chess piece, and the case suddenly becomes crystal clear to everyone involved. The pieces finally fall into place, and Zhou admonishes Zhao for sending the telegram in the first place, suggesting that the action has repercussions Zhao had not anticipated. Puzzled, Zhao asks, in a quiet, almost defiant way, why he shouldn’t have sent a telegram of his own.

The story weaves together themes of miscommunication, duty, and personal solitude within the corporate and political landscape of a high-stakes mining project. The chess piece serves as a tangible symbol of Zhao’s inner life—a reminder that even small, seemingly innocent acts can ripple through a larger system when interpreted through the lenses of perception and power. The tension between Zhao’s meticulous, solitary world and the demanding needs of an international project drives the narrative forward, revealing how trust, responsibility, and linguistic nuances can shape outcomes in unexpected ways.

• Zhao Shuxin, [Liu Zifeng], is introduced as a precise, introverted engineer whose quiet habit of playing chess mirrors his methodical approach to work and life.

• Feng Liangcai, [Yang Yazhou], represents a contrasting ambition—someone who steps into Zhao’s role with little background in engineering, highlighting the clash between specialized expertise and general interpretive duties.

• Hans Schmidt, [Gerhard Olschewski], embodies the cross-cultural tension of collaboration, pushing for a restart of a partnership that the new interpreter’s mistakes jeopardize.

• Li Renzhong, [Gao Ming], acts as a practical observer who uncovers the missing piece, inadvertently tipping the scales of the investigation.

• Zhou Yuzhen, [Wang Yi], as the Party Chief, stands at the fulcrum of formal governance, balancing transparency with political caution as the truth emerges.

• Chen Hao-xiang, [Yang Fengliang], and the other team members, including Wu Kegong [Ge Hui], Wang Hongye [Wang Beilong], Liu Yumei [Xie Wei], and Zhao Xiuling [Zhao Xiuling], populate the surrounding network of colleagues whose actions and reactions shape the course of events, each contributing to the evolving dynamic in their own ways.

Why can’t I send a telegram of my own?