The Lychee Road

The Lychee Road (Chinese: 长安的荔枝) is a 2025 Chinese historical comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Da Peng.^[2][3] The film is an adaptation of Ma Boyong's 2021 novel Lychees of Chang'an, following the story of an official named Li Shande responsible for transporting lychees from the Lingnan region to Chang'an, capital of the Tang Empire.^[4][5] The film premiered in China on 18 July 2025.^[6]

Set during the Tianbao era of the Tang dynasty, the story follows Li Shande, a minor official in Chang'an, who is unwittingly assigned the impossible task of delivering fresh lychees from Lingnan to Chang'an for Yang Guifei's birthday, roughly 2,000 km away. At first, he celebrates the opportunity — until he discovers the word "preserved" on his edict was glued on, hiding the real demand: "fresh". Knowing lychees rot in three days, he tries to refuse, but it’s too late. Fearing for his family, he fails to divorce his wife and instead departs quickly.

In Lingnan, Li Shande seeks help from He Qiguang, the local commissioner, but is beaten and given a slave instead. He meets Su Liang, a Persian merchant, and experiments with methods to preserve lychees, discovering they can last only a few days even under the best conditions. With no choice, he devises a plan using double-layered jars and a relay system combining land and river routes. However, all test runs fail.

He returns to Chang'an to request funding, but is turned away by every bureau. Finally, Right Chancellor Yang Guozhong grants him a golden token, a seal of absolute authority. Li Shande mobilises government resources, utilises ice boats, and establishes an empire-wide relay system. Yet upon returning to Lingnan, he finds the villagers distressed about the government cutting 200 lychee trees, not the planned 20.

As the shipment begins, early relays succeed, but midway, they discover the relay stations abandoned. With no other option, Li Shande and a few assistants push forward manually. Horses collapse, supplies run low, and the journey grows dire. At the final river dock, Su Liang reappears, saving the mission with his ship.

Approaching Chang'an, assassins ambush the group. Traps and fire bombs destroy most of the convoy. The slave sacrifices himself to save Li Shande during a desperate cliffside fight. With one last lychee jar, Li Shande escapes on horseback and charges through the flames.

At evening, Li Shande gallops into Chang'an as flowers requested by his wife scatter from his bag. His family cheers as he delivers the lychees to the palace just in time for Yang Guifei’s birthday.

Later, he confronts Yang Guozhong about the mission’s true cost. Guozhong assaults him, but Gao Lishi intervenes, awarding Li Shande green plums, sparing his life. However, for failing to deliver the full quota, he and his family are exiled to Lingnan.

In exile, Li Shande learns Chang'an has fallen to An Lushan. He breaks down, grieving all he gave up. His wife comforts him with a new wine — a final, quiet moment of peace after a journey of impossible odds.

• Da Peng as Li Shande
• Bai Ke as Su Liang
• Zhuang Dafei as Ah Tong
• Terrance Lau as Lin Yinu
• Andy Lau as Yang Guozhong
• Yang Mi as Zheng Yuting
• Chang Yuan as Yu Chao'en
• Wei Xiang as Su Yuan
• Wang Xun as Liu Shuling
• Sun Yang as Zhao Xinmin
• Lam Suet as He Qiguang
• Song Xiaobao as Song Tiangang
• Fu Hang as Xiao Bai
• Zhang Ruoyun as Du Fu
• Jia Zhangke as an official
• Fan Deng as an official
• Ma Boyong as an official

Shooting began on 3 November 2024 and took place in various locations including Xiangyang, Yangjiang, Dongguan, Luoding, and Jiangmen.^[3]

The Lychee Road was initially released fully in China on the 18th of July, 2025.^[7] Later, it was released in Australia on the 24th of July,^[8] the United States limitedly on 25 July, Singapore on 31 July, and Hong Kong on the 7th of August 2025.^[7] It is rated M (mature) in Australia^[8] due to mature themes and violence.^[9]

After being released, "China’s box office surged over the July 18–20 weekend"^[10] and dominated the leaderboard. Some people critique the movie as being able to resonate with modern youth in the workplace as it blended "historical legend with modern workplace satire and relatable personal struggles."^[11]

Ma Boyong, the original author of the novel Lychees of Chang'an, attended the premiere and praised the film as "more layered and emotionally resonant" than his novel.^[11]

• The Lychee Road at IMDb
• The Lychee Road at Douban (in Chinese)