This film is inspired by screenwriter Wu Nien-Jen's childhood memories. It is the third installment of director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's "Coming-of-Age Trilogy" that features three prominent Taiwanese screenwriters' coming-of-age stories. The other two are Un été chez grand-père (1984) (inspired by the coming-of-age story of Chu Tien-wen) and Un temps pour vivre, un temps pour mourir (1985) (inspired by the coming-of-age story of Hou Hsiao-Hsien, who is a screenwriter-turned-director).
Listed among the Toronto International Film Festival's Essential 100 movies.