The Rickshaw Man

Spoilers The turning rickshaw wheel, consistently interspersed throughout the film, has several meanings. At a superficial level, it represents the life of Matsugoro and the passage of time. On a deeper level, it can be seen as symbolizing the Buddhist wheel of life. At the end of the film, the wheel stops, representing not just Matsugoro's death, but also his exiting of cyclic existence (reincarnation) through his selfless life and service to others.