 In the 1920 s, when Taiwan is Japan s colony, the small town Chiu-Fen was famous of its gold mines. Escaping from the landlord s control, Chu and Wei join the gold rush in Chiu-Fen, hoping that they can be rich and have their own land some day. The are two kinds of women in the small town : hard working housewives and prostitute. The formers are always struggling in poverty. Jou is one of them. People believe that she is doomed to be a widow. She married twice. Both of her husbands are dead. Che falls in love with her anyway. He becomes her third husband in despite of people s warning. Many of the masters of brothels make a future from prostitution business as well as the black market of gold. Wei loves Fumiko, a young prostitute. He decides to buy back her freedom. Unfortunately, Fumiko is infected with V.D., dying. On the other hand, a gold mine tunnel is crashed suddenly, buries a lot of miners. Chu is among them. Jou packs the memorial tablets of her three husbands and leaves the silent mountain.