The film contains no visible LGBTQ+ characters or non-heteronormative identities. The narrative is built entirely upon traditional romantic and familial structures.

Gladys Aylward demonstrates agency by managing an inn, yet her strength is often framed through maternalism. Male characters typically occupy the primary positions of institutional and intellectual authority.

The central interracial romance between a Westerner and a Chinese local departs from era norms. However, the story is filtered through a Western missionary perspective that can limit local autonomy.

The film promotes a singular moral framework centered on Christian missionary work and Western medicine. It frames Western presence as a stabilizing, moral force during political upheaval.

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities used as central character drivers or plot devices.