The harsh condition of coal miner in the 1920's is reappearing in China after 1992. The reason was partially due to the liberalization reform for the urban area in China. When private enterprise were allowed to develop coal mines, most greedy bosses ignored the safety condition and labor laws, resulting in the same harsh working condition depicted in the movie, an exact repeat of what happened seventy years ago.
When this film was first made, the urban reform of the 1990's had mot been implemented, and it would be a good thing for the emerging business owners, including coal mine bosses, and governmental bureaucrats to re-watch this film for educational purposes.
