Two boys meet at an opera training school in Peking in 1924. Their resulting friendship will span nearly 70 years and endure some of the most troublesome times in China's history.

《牛棚杂忆》是季羡林对文革时期的一本回忆录，他以幽默甚至是调侃的笔调讲述自己在“文革”中的不幸遭遇。此书对“文革”的残酷性揭露的让人不寒而栗。他出书的目的就是希望总结教训和“经验”，让更多经历过的人出来说话，让更多知情者出来说话，不要让历史的悲剧重演。