Television Crew Visits DPRK in Honor of Friendship and Heroes

Chinese People’s Volunteers Army fought in the Korean War (Resisting-America & Supporting-Korea-War as known in China) from October 1950 to July 1953 when a ceasefire treaty was signed. Before the war, some people had feared that the China’s participation in the war would have hampered the socialist reconstruction. However, the Chinese people united strongly under the banner of patriotism and national dignity. Socialist reconstruction moved on and the war greatly enhanced China’s international standing.

A 36-episode television drama directed by Liu Yiran portrays how Chinese people fought the war and how they sacrificed. It is entitled “Mao Anying”, a son of Mao Zedong. The son volunteered to go to Korea and died in the war. He was buried at the Chinese People's Volunteers cemetery in Hoechang County, South Phyongan Province. The mausoleum serves as the final home to 134 heroes of Chinese volunteer soldiers.

November 25, 2010 was the day of the 60th anniversary of the death of Mao Anying. On the day, the production team of the television drama headed by the producer Zou Xiaoti came to visit the cemetery of Chinese martyrs. The team attended a memorial ceremony in commemoration of Mao Anying. Present at the ceremony were Vice-Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Yong Chun, Minister of Public Health and president of the Korea-China friendship Association Choe Chang Sik and Chinese ambassador to the dprk Liu Hongcai. A wreath dedicated by Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, was laid near the tombstone of Mao Anying.

The production team arrived in DPRK on November 22. They visited key places and wherever they went they were warmly welcomed by DPRK people. When local people spotted the actor who stars in the play as Mao Zedong they would say the name aloud and cheered. In order to welcome Chinese friends that came to visit in commemoration of the anniversaries, the DPRK artists created and staged an opera play of “Butterfly Romance”, a Chinese legend. On November 24th, 2010, a ceremony was held to present DVD disks of “Mao Anying” to top leader of Kim Jong Il.

On the afternoon of November 24th, 2010, the premier of “Mao Anying” was held in Pyongyang.

The year 2010 also marked the 60th anniversary of the victory of “Resisting-America & Supporting-Korea War” and the 65th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Fascism War. The cultural exchanges between China and DPRK climaxed throughout the year, highlighted by cultural programs of the two countries.

A DPRK troupe staged an opera play of “The Dream of Red Mansions” across China. “Undercover” and “Mao Anying”, two Chinese television blockbusters, were screened in DPRK. They became extremely popular. Chinese ambassador Liu Hongcai presented two Chinese films to Kim Jong Il on behalf of the two Chinese film studios. On the first night of China Film Week in DPRK, a DPRK film about Huang Jiguang, a Chinese combat hero who died in the war, made many members of the audience weep.