The Ridge of Taihang: Grand Narrative and Personalized Expression

The recently aired TV series "The Ridge of Taihang" focuses on the development of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang Mountains, and vividly interprets the role of the ****production party and the People's Army as the mainstay of the anti-Japanese battlefield. The work artfully answers the question of who is the real ridge of Taihang and the spiritual ridge of the Chinese nation, and also profoundly reveals why the Chinese ****productivity party can be embraced by the people and can do things that others cannot do. The creators of this drama have a conscious awareness of starting from reality, and the strong view of reality makes the work gain a sense of historical depth.

The creation of TV dramas on major revolutionary and historical themes is essentially a matter of historical perspective. The growth of the 129th Division is placed under the background of the war of resistance, in which there is the overall planning of the base area by the leaders of the ****-producing party, the analysis of the world's events, but also Liu Bocheng, Chen Geng and other front-line generals and leaders of the decision-making situation, and the ordinary soldiers and officers of the Eighth Route Army's blood bath, while a lot of ink is used to write about the simplification of government, rent reduction, interest rate cuts and self-help through the Eighth Route Army and the common people, which draws a picture of the base area and the people of Taihang. Through the flesh-and-blood connection between the Eighth Route Army and the common people, the work sketches out the mass foundation for the development and growth of the base area. What is worth acknowledging is that the work does not simplify or conceptualize the presentation of history, but rather, it realistically restores the complexity of history itself through big or small contradictions and entanglements, such as how to deal with the relationship with different factions within the Kuomintang, how to deal with other anti-Japanese armies, and how to fight against the reactionary organizations, which shows how the leaders of the Eighth Route Army, as represented by Liu Bocheng and Chen Geng, kept a clear mind under the intricate political and military situation of the time, The book is about how the leaders of the Eighth Route Army, represented by Liu Bocheng and Chen Geng, were able to keep a clear head under the intricate political and military situation at that time, as well as their strategy, courage and determination.

In terms of narrative strategy, The Ridge of Taihang fully mobilizes love, espionage and other ornamental story elements, transforms serious historical thinking into a vibrant and epic plot structure, focusing on the completeness of the historical process, as well as on the richness and fullness of human nature and human feelings. The love story in the play is not an embellishment, but an integral part of the historical scene. At the same time, the characters of Wu Dacun and Yang Sizhen on our side, and Inoue Jing and Fang Binghong on the enemy's side are active throughout, playing the role of a needle and a thread, and the elements of espionage promote the ups and downs of the plot clues, so that the whole narrative presents a heavy and dynamic character.

Unlike previous TV dramas on major revolutionary and historical themes, The Ridge of Taihang skillfully integrates fictional plots into historical events, emphasizing both revolutionary leaders and ordinary people, as well as the dependence of historical and fictional characters on each other, thus making a new exploration of the relationship between reality and fiction in major revolutionary and historical themes. Important historical events are major events, and the actions of ordinary people are not a side show; neither can be fictionalized, which makes the creation of the play quite difficult and requires bold imagination. The greatest success of this drama lies in the creation of fictional characters such as Pei Yong, Wu Dacun, Ouyang Chun, Yang Zi, and so on, which shows how ordinary people participate in history, create history, and how history shapes them. The creator's unique understanding of history exists in this fiction and imagination.

In addition, the creators are good at using vivid details to reflect the texture of history. For example, the night attack on Yangming Castle, the bloody battle of Guanjiazhi and other battle scenes, such as Mao Zedong from a handful of jujubes to the world's major events, but also Deng Xiaoping with the sheep to feed grass to express the farewell to Yan'an, these details are very infectious. In particular, the portrayal of Pei Yong is inseparable from a large number of evocative details. The pathos of breaking the fingers of the fallen soldiers when he was inspecting the battlefield, the obstinacy when interrogating the Japanese prisoners, and the tenderness when handing over the rattle drum to the little Ji'nan, reflect the different sides of the character, making the character image look rich and three-dimensional, and thus letting the audience feel that the history has a sense of touch, and has a warmth.

Although there is still some room for improvement in the narrative skills of The Ridge of Taihang, such as the hasty narrative of the strategic counter-offensive phase, the lack of necessary explanations for the follow-up of several important historical figures, and the rendering of emotions in individual places is still a bit rough, it is still an excellent work with a high degree of unity between historical consciousness and the pursuit of aesthetics, and it gives people a spiritual vibration while taking the audience to relive the arduous and difficult history. It's a great way to bring the audience back to the past, and at the same time, it's a great way to inspire people's spirit and thoughts.

(Author: Li Yuesen, Executive Editor of China TV)

This is the first time we've seen a movie like this.