故事发生在大唐初年，为了超度东土亡灵，一代高僧唐僧（何藩 饰）得到唐王支持，在大队兵马随从的护送下浩浩荡荡前往西天佛土，求取大藏真经。这一路坎坷艰辛，自不用提，更有洞府山川的妖怪精魅蠢蠢欲动，企图吃掉...

A man tries to raise his two sons and two daughters under some of the most adverse conditions known to man. The father operates a horse-drawn cart, but in a city that is modernizing after the destruction of the Korean War, automobiles are making carts obsolete. The children are experiencing difficulties as well. The eldest son has flunked the bar exam twice and is not hopeful of passing it a third time to become a lawyer. The eldest daughter is mute and married to an abusive husband. The younger daughter tries to pose as a rich university student to move up in life. The youngest son has a penchant for petty theft.

长女静熙根据父亲南博士去世前留下的遗嘱，将嫁给画家东秀。曾有恩于南博士的年轻医生顺哲帮助静熙度过难关，又为她找到方社长推荐工作。顺哲爱着静熙，却因南博士的遗嘱不敢表白。同时，静熙妹妹明熙与东秀相恋，为了成全妹妹的幸福，静熙接受方社长的求婚......