Ca Bau Kan relates the saga of Giok Lan, an Indonesian woman living in the Netherlands, who returns to Indonesia in search of her roots. Her mother, Tinung, a village woman, was known as ‘Ca Bau Kan’ – a word used to describe a courtesan who entertained Chinese men in colonial Indonesia. Giok Lan’s father, Tan Peng Liang (Ferry Salim), was an immigrant Chinese merchant who had a very successful tobacco business in Batavia. She becomes deeply involved with him, and causes a scandal when he has Tinung move in with his family. The film is set between 1930 and 1950, and unfolds the story of Giok Lan and her parents: Tinung and Tan Peng Liang where Tan is eventually ruined when his rivals begin to attack him. This is owing to the significant contrast in socio-economic and cultural background, as the love of these last two characters face a series of difficulties.