Peking University, June 9, 2011: “One may have no money, but must have a belief or dream.” “Every country has its national spirit just as one has his or her own personality. You must learn to differentiate between the essentials and the dregs of our culture.” The scenes that Professor Yang Changji had passionately lectured on these teachings years before popped into the young Mao Zedong’s mind, when Professor Yang in sickness looked at him and other students still with passion and expectations. This is one of the scenes that move the audience most in the movie “The Road of Exploring”.
“The Road of Exploring”, a movie presented to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, had the press conference and its premiere at the North Wing Hall of Peking University Library. The director Chen Li and leading roles of the cast also came to share with the audience their experience in this movie.
Young Mao’s Exploration
Under Professor Yang’s influence, young Mao Zedong was inspired to have a heart caring for the masses in society and to keep struggling for his dream of saving them. His dream led him to Beijing and as a librarian at Peking University Library, he had the luck to meet with Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu and Hu Shih, initiators of the New Culture Movement. Mao’s experience at PKU Library was the most important point during his life as it brought him into a new world of Marxism. Giving up the chance to study in France, he stayed at home to explore a solution for freeing Chinese people. Back to his hometown in Changsha, Hunan Province, he started the publication of Shian Kian Weekly Review as a support for student movement in Beijing. Finally he chose to follow the way of the October Revolution in Russia.
Youth and Inspiration
Unlike other movies that stress Mao Zedong’s greatness, “The Road of Exploring” depicts a more real and vivid character of young Mao. The audience is presented with passions and dreams of Mao’s generation in youth and their continuous efforts to realize their value by combining personal ideals with national fate.
Director Chen Li (sina.com)
“I am moved by those great historical figures’ passions for seeking light in darkness and their struggles to change China’s fate. Though 90 years have passed, their spirit still gives warmth to my heart. I hope our young generation will also inspired by the passions of Mao’s generation in youth.” The director Chen Li expressed her intention to produce this movie.
Xia Wenbin, Director of the Publicity Department of PKU, took this movie as a vivid presentation of youth and responsibilities, “I think this movie will inspire young people to both enjoy their youth and shoulder their responsibilities.”
Cast Members’ Understanding
As a movie symbolizing passions of the youth, “The Road of Exploring” is also a gathering of young actors and actresses.
Zhou Dongyu and Bao Jianfeng (sina.com)
Zhou Dongyu, playing the role of Yang Kaihui — wife of Mao Zedong and daughter of Professor Yang Changji, just finished her college entrance examinations on June 8. “Those great figures’ adherence to ideals is what we are in earnest need of nowadays. I hope young people can be as courageous as them to overcome the difficulties. As to myself, persistence in Yang Kaihui’s character has encouraged me to face the pressures of life in confidence. ” When asked about her feelings at PKU, she joked that she wished to be admitted by PKU if there were next life.
Bao Jianfeng, playing the young Mao Zedong, expressed his understanding of Mao in this movie: “Mao in this movie grows from a young person in pursuit of truth to one with a firm belief in Marxism. One of the difficulties for me was to show the subtle changes in Mao’s belief and his inner feelings. Although it was not easy to handle the shift, I have made all my efforts between the vigorous fighter with firm convictions and the ordinary person struck by the social turmoil and losses of his mother and teacher.”
After the movie’s premiere, Zhang Yiqi from the School of Journalism and Communication said: “There is vigor and inspiration everywhere in the movie. For college students, we are certainly inspired to uphold our dreams and shoulder our responsibilities for the development of our nation.”
“The Road of Exploring” will be shown nationwide from June 10, 2011.
Reported by: Zhang Chunlan
