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The Founding of a Republic
2009 Chinese film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Founding of a Republic is a Chinese historical drama produced in 2009 to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and was made to portray the final years of the Chinese Communist Revolution that followed the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). This film was co-directed by Huang Jianxin and Han Sanping, and includes many famous actors such as Andy Lau, Ge You, as well as other directors such as Jiang Wen, and Chen Kaige. The main protagonists Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek were played by highly renowned actors, Tang Guoqiang and Zhang Guoli. One of the purposes of this movie aside from reenacting the events of the Chinese Communist Revolution was to also attract a younger audience to view films that revolved around government propaganda, which they aim to accomplish by including famous actors that would draw the attention of the youth.[4] According to the executive at one of China's top multiplex chains, this film is also unique because the film unusually marries "the core of an 'ethically inspiring' film with commercial packaging.".[4] Additionally, this is the first zhuxuanlu (主旋律; i.e. propaganda) film to work solely with cinematic audio-visual methods to achieve its political and ideological goals. It is a milestone in that since its production in 2009, the distinction between zhuxuanlu and commercial film has become blurred; they have become primarily indistinguishable from each other.[5] This film was released on September 16, 2009, in mainland China and during its release, it had a tremendous amount of support from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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Plot
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In August 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, ending eight years of resistance warfare. However, national unification had not yet been achieved. Although the Nationalist government (Kuomintang, or KMT) claimed to have taken control of the country, its actual authority was limited. Meanwhile, the Communist Party had built a strong political, military, and popular base in the areas it had liberated behind enemy lines. Mao Zedong and other members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) travel to Chongqing to meet with Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang (KMT). This meeting aims to consider a peace negotiation between the two parties and hopefully discuss the beginning of a democratic nation. With assistance from the China Democratic League (led by Zhang Lan), Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek signed the Double Tenth Agreement on October 10, 1945. Both parties agreed to stop the civil war and establish a multi-party government within China. However, deep-rooted differences between the CCP and the KMT made this reconciliation impossible. With the opening of the One-party National Assembly and the attack on the central plains liberated area, the Double Tenth Agreement finally broke down in the following year, which led to the resumption of the civil war.
In July 1947 and onwards, the People's Liberation Army shifted its tactics from strategic defence to offence in regions under KMT rule, marking the beginning of the process of liberating China. During this time, Chiang Kai-shek called for a National Assembly in Nanjing, where he was elected as the first President of the Republic of China (ROC). His elected vice president was Li Zongren, a known rival within the party. In May 1948, the CCP issued the "May Day Declaration" in Baoding, Hebei, proclaiming the overthrow of the KMT and calling for the prompt convening of a Political Consultative Conference to discuss and realize the establishment of a People's Congress and a democratic coalition government. During this period, corruption within the KMT became severe, and the situation on the Northeastern front grew increasingly urgent. As a result, the democratic united front against the KMT continued to expand and gain strength, after CCP declared the opening of a "War of Liberation" against Chiang's ROC government, with many other political parties responding to the call and taking the CCP's side, including the China Democratic League, the Revolutionary Committee (China) and other political figures such as Zhang Lan, Soong Ching-ling and Li Jishen.
Following numerous victories for the CCP in China's central and southern regions, Chiang Kai-shek was forced to resign as president, and his forces retreated to Taiwan in December 1949. On September 21, 1949, the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was grandly held in Beijing. On October 1, 1949, Mao declared the founding of the People's Republic of China, with Beijing, formally named Beiping, as its capital, marking the start of a new era for China. [6]
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Production
The Founding of a Republic, is a historical drama that is shot in many locations including Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing to re-create historical events during the Chinese Communist Revolution.[7] The production of this film was commissioned by China's film regulator, the China Film Administration (CFA), and was produced by the publicly funded China Film Group (CFG).[4] This film was co-directed by Huang Jianxin and Han Sanping, the chairman of the China Film Group, and includes many famous actors including Andy Lau, Ge You, Hu Jun, Leon Lai, Zhang Ziyi, Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Zhao Wei, as well as other directors such as Jiang Wen, Chen Kaige, and John Woo. The main protagonists were played by highly renowned actors, Tang Guoqiang and Zhang Guoli, who played Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek. One interesting aspect of this film was that a CFH spokesman revealed that many of the stars that appeared in the film waived their fee, which kept the film's budget quite modest.[4] The initial budget of the film was 30 million Yuan (US$4.7 million),[7] however, the finalized cost was 60-70 million Yuan, which is the equivalent of US 8.8-10 million dollars.[4]
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Themes and Analysis
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 | This section may incorporate text from a large language model. (August 2025) |
This section examines how the film reflects the evolving strategies in Chinese political cinema.
Popular and Mainstream Culture
One key theme in The Founding of a Republic is the integration of popular mainstream culture in contemporary China. This film demonstrates how Chinese mass culture has evolved beyond purely propagandistic works into a mature entertainment industry that efficiently blends commercial appeal with state-approved narratives. A clear example of this is the inclusion of over 170 stars, many of whom are not traditional film actors but come from diverse sectors such as pop music, television and directing. This casting choice reflects a strategic effort to engage a broad audience by connecting ideological messages with popular culture figures familiar to the public. In conclusion, the film's success underscores how China's cultural landscape has evolved to incorporate entertainment and political messaging in a manner that resonates widely with contemporary audiences.
Blending Propaganda with Commercial Filmmaking
Building on this integration of popular culture, the film also represents a strategic blend of propaganda and commercial filmmaking. Rather than relying on didactic messaging, the film's utilitarian approach aims to promote CCP legitimacy while remaining competitive in a commercial film market that is increasingly influenced by Hollywood. Han Sanping, one of the film's key producers and a significant figure in China's film industry, explicitly stated that the goal was to "blend mainstream ideology and commercial methods," positioning the film as both a political tool and a marketable product. Similarly, co-director Huang Jianxin emphasized his intention to make "a real film instead of a propaganda flick," selecting to humanize historical figures and use a variety of cinematic techniques to engage audiences. These choices suggest that the film's creators were not only aware of the challenges of making politically themed films for modern viewers but were also committed to crafting a more sophisticated and relatable narrative. This blend of ideological purpose and commercial strategy shows a broader shift in how political cinema operates in post-reform China. [8]
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Critical response
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Positive responses
The film was a massive financial success in mainland China, earning 420 million yuan[3] and eventually becoming the highest-grossing Chinese-made film ever for a brief time until it was surpassed the following year by Jiang Wen’s Let the Bullets Fly (2010).
Many critics also recognized how The Founding of a Republic has evolved public state-narrated presentation of past historical figures and events. For example, many applauded the film for its more “objective” retelling of some characters, such as Chiang Kai-shek, who is characterized in a more sympathetic light compared to past movies.[9] As Gloria and M.E. Davies have emphasized, many online commentators, “praised the film's makers for departing from former 'good vs. evil' representations of Mao and Chiang to emphasize instead the contingencies of war that led the Communists to victory”.[10] Similarly, the film was commended by viewers for its amplified representation of other minority party leaders, such as Zhang Lan, Chairman of the China Democratic League, for the demonstrated significance of their role in the nation's foundation.
Negative responses
Even though the film made some efforts to highlight history as an honest struggle for democracy, many other commentators felt disappointed that the movie offered a distorted revisionist theme of the nation's history and the CCP’s full politics. As G and M.E. Davies highlighted, the film seemed to be more focused on presenting a “historical romp rather than a disciplined treatment of the subject”.[10] Further critics such as the former editor of the Southern Weekend, Chiang Ping, have called out the film for highlighting “the limits of the contemporary Party-guided commercial repackaging of Chinese history”.[3]
Eventually, the Chinese film rating site Douban had to disable the rating feature for The Founding of a Republic, as well as the other films within the trilogy, because of their negative impact.[3][11]
In response to some reactions outside Mainland China, Huang Jianxin, the film's co-director, "has said it was unfair to describe The Founding of a Republic as propaganda since modern Chinese audience was too sophisticated to swallow a simplistic rendering of history."[12]
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Cast
Main figures
Chinese Communist Party figures
Kuomintang figures
China Democratic League figures
Other notable historical figures
Foreign political figures
Fictional characters
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Controversy surrounding actors' nationalities
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Before the release of the film, news had circulated that 21 actors in the film, including Chen Kaige and Chen Hong, are foreign nationals.[13] Particularly due to the film's popularity and connection to the sixtieth anniversary of the People's Republic of China, this controversy quickly attracted large media attention.
Some critics, such as Shanghai writer Han Han, have pointed to the film's strong nationalist themes to highlight the irony of foreign nationals' involvement, especially when understanding how “the communist ideals of the film might translate into today’s world”.[3] On September 17, 2009, National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) spokesman Zhu Hong formally stated that Tang Guoqiang and the other ten main actors of The Founding of a Republic are in fact Chinese nationals. Zhu Hong said in a question-and-answer session that the other actors in the film were all guest stars, and the vast majority were Chinese nationals, thus assuring that the film is in line with the "regulations for employing foreign creators to participate in the filming of domestic films" and that the main actors in Chinese films do not exceed one-third of the provisions of foreign personnel.[14]
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Award and nominations
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Trivia
- When asked in an interview why he made the film, director Han Sanping said, "When Zhang Heping (former vice chairman of the Beijing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) called me, he wanted me to direct the film, and he gave many reasons. But what finally convinced me was that he said, ‘It's the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China, so I should really come to the front line to give a little power and leave a memento.’ Finally, the leaders of the Film Administration and Zhao Shi, deputy director of the General Administration, decided to let me be the general director and do my best to make the film." At the same time, he said, "Now if I were to categorize The Founding of a Republic, I would say it is a Chinese ‘heroic epic film’.”[15]
- After filming The Soong Sisters, Wu Junmei had resolved never to play Soong Mei-ling again. One important reason was that when she views the finished film and saw that the scenes "Xi'an Incident" and "Congress Speech" were cut, Wu Junmei felt that the character of Soong Mei-ling in the film had deviated from the script she had seen at the beginning. In addition, she felt Soong Mei-ling is a very difficult character, to an extent that she "grows more unconfident as the filming progresses". However, after 12 years of accumulating life experience, she reprised her role as Soong Mei-ling in The Founding of a Republic.[16]
- This is the 14th time that Tang Guoqiang has played Mao Zedong on the screen since 1996. Tang Guoqiang was 56 years old when the film was shot, and Mao Zedong was exactly 56 years old in 1949. After many years, Tang is very much in Mao's element, both in terms of temperament and image.[17]
- For example, when Ge You and Jackie Chan were invited to join The Founding of a Republic, they both expressed a desire to portray one of the great historical leaders. However, their appearances differed significantly from the actual figures in history. The director certainly recognized their commitment and acting talent, but due to the stark mismatch in physical resemblance, he ultimately had to turn them down. After all, when it came to the roles of iconic historical figures, the director already had someone in mind: Tang Guoqiang, a well-known actor famous for playing such roles. In this particular arena, Tang Guoqiang had a clear advantage—his extensive experience and his appearance made him an ideal fit. With just a look or a gesture, he could seemingly bring the great leaders back to life from the pages of history. Perhaps because of this, Jackie Chan, Ge You, and others understood that they didn’t have the same edge, and they willingly accepted the alternative roles assigned by the director.
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Music
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"Zhui Xun" is a song performed by Sun Nan, and also serves as the theme song for the film The Founding of a Republic. The lyrics were written by Zhang Heping, and the music was composed by Shu Nan. The song was first included in the film's official soundtrack, released on January 20, 2010, and later featured in Sun Nan’s personal music album Living Beautifully, released on May 5, 2010.
In 2010, Sun Nan was nominated for Best Male Singer (Mainland China) at the 14th Global Chinese Music Awards for this song.
In June 2024, the song was honored with the "Unforgettable Film Golden Melody of the Era" award at the 2024 Film and Television Music Festival.
Background of music composition
"Zhui Xun" was a song specially composed by Zhang Heping and Shu Nan for the film The Founding of a Republic. As the film’s theme song—and given that the film itself was a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China—many prominent artists, including Jackie Chan and Andy Lau, volunteered during production to perform the song. However, after the demo version was completed, the production team felt that Sun Nan was the most suitable vocalist and officially invited him to perform it.
During the composition process, the song underwent seven revisions, and the melody of "The Internationale" was incorporated into the chorus. Additionally, the recording featured a 60-member choir and a fully arranged symphony orchestra.
Track Listing
- Prologue
- Pursuit
- Who Will Rule
- The Declining City
- Stern Silence
- Unbearable Lightness
- Storm Over the Sea
- What to Say
- Interlude of Suffering
- The Calm After Release
- The One Who Carries a Lantern in the Dark
- Nightmare
- Bombing Chennan Village
- Flash Before Extinction
- Black Clouds Over the City
- The Vanishing City of Bauhinia
- Sigh for the People
- Black-and-White Years
- Morning in Shanghai
- Restless Night
- In Silence
- I Offer My Blood for China
- Elegy
- Long Search
- Mourning
- Dreaming of Shostakovich
- Fields of Blooming Flowers
- Before the Dawn
- Distant Call from the Sacred Land
- A Moment's Leisure
- Sweet Twin Violins
- Joy of New Birth
- Abandonment
- A Nation in Dreams
- Red
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See also
References
External links
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