All of the roles in this film are played by non-professionals and in nearly every case, each "actor" is playing the same role he or she has in life. For example, the role of Wei Minzhi, the 13-year-old schoolgirl/substitute, is played by Wei Minzhi, a 13-year-old school girl; the village mayor is in real life a village mayor, and so on. Wei Minzhi Wei Minzhi (Zhenlingbao Village Middle School Student, Chichen County, Hebei Province) Zhang Huike Zhang Huike (Toubaozi Village Primary School Student, Chichen County, Hebei Province) Mayor Tian Tian Zhenda (Shuiquan Village Mayor, Dazhuangke District, Yanqing County, Beijing) Teacher Gao Gao Enman (Zhongxin Primary School Teacher, Shasangzi Village, Tianjiadian District, Yanqing County, Beijing) Sun Zhimei Sun Zhimei (Longmensuo County Middle School Student) TV Station Receptionist Feng Yuying (Clerk, People’s Park Ticket Office, Jiangjiakou City) TV Host Li Fanfan (Host, Economic Program, Jiangjiakou City TV) Mr. Zhang Zhang Yichang (Instructor, Yanching County Sports Bureau) Brick Factory Owner Xu Zhanqing (Mayor, Hongshiwan Village, Qianjiadian County, Yanching) Zhang Huike’s Mother Liu Hanzhi (Villager, Fenggou Village, Yanching, Beijing) Bus Station Man Ma Guolin (Clerk, Guanhe Detergent Company, Jiangjiakou City) TV Station Manager Wu Wanlu (Deputy Manager, Jiangjiakou Broadcasting Station) Train Station Announcer Liu Ru (Announcer, Jiangjiakou Broadcasting Station) Stationery Store Clerk Wang Shulan (Manager, Aiwanzhai Stationery Store, Jiangjiakou City) TV Station Director Fu Xinmin (Head of Programming, Jiangjiakou People’s TV Station) Restaurant Owner Bai Mei (Manager, Juxin Restaurant, Jiangjiakou City) Supporting Cast Zhang Mingshan Ming Xinhong Jiao Jie Tian Xuewei Rong Huimin Li Mei Sun Zhiwei Li Lingyu And the students of Shuiquan Primary School, Zhenningbao Village, Chicheng County, Hebei Province