The Age of Awakening

Synopsis

"The Age of Awakening" spans the timeline from the publication of "Youth Magazine" in 1915 to the founding of the Communist Party of China in 1921, depicting the magnificent historical panorama from the New Culture Movement and the May Fourth Movement to the establishment of the Communist Party of China. Centered on the legendary story of Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, and Hu Shi from their acquaintance to their parting, and supplemented by the pursuit of truth by revolutionary youths such as Mao Zedong, Chen Yannian, and Chen Qiaonian, the series has received a high Douban rating of 9.3.

Overview

"The Awakening Age" is a major revolutionary historical drama that aired in 2021. Directed by Zhang Yongxin and written by Long Pingping, it stars Yu Hewei, Zhang Tong, Hou Jingjian, Ma Shaohua, Zhu Gangriyao, Zhang Wanyi, Cao Lei, Xia Dejun, and others. The series premiered on CCTV-1 on February 1, 2021, with a total of 43 episodes. It holds a high Douban rating of 9.3, with over 250,000 viewers participating in the scoring.

As a tribute drama for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the series spans the timeline from the publication of "Youth Magazine" in 1915 to "New Youth" becoming the official publication of the Communist Party of China in 1921. It presents a panoramic view of the magnificent historical period from the New Culture Movement to the establishment of the Communist Party of China. With vivid character portrayals, profound dialogue, and sincere emotional expression, the series has won widespread acclaim from audiences ranging from the older generation to the post-90s and post-00s youth. It successfully broke through on social media platforms, becoming a phenomenal hit.

Plot

The story begins in 1915 with Chen Duxiu (played by Yu Hewei) returning from Japan to found "Youth Magazine" (later renamed "New Youth"), depicting the vigorous rise of the New Culture Movement. Using "New Youth" as his platform, Chen Duxiu championed the banners of democracy and science, collaborating with Li Dazhao (played by Zhang Tong) and others to promote the ideological enlightenment movement.

The main plot revolves around the ideological clashes among the three intellectuals Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, and Hu Shi (played by Zhu Gangriyao). The three progress from acquaintance and mutual understanding to ultimately parting ways due to differing beliefs, embarking on vastly different life paths. Cai Yuanpei (played by Ma Shaohua), as the chancellor of Peking University, adhered to the educational philosophy of freedom of thought and inclusiveness, providing an important intellectual platform for the New Culture Movement.

Subplots focus on the growth of the younger generation. Mao Zedong (played by Hou Jingjian) travels from Hunan to Beijing and is deeply influenced by the New Culture Movement while working at the Peking University Library. Chen Duxiu's sons, Chen Yannian (played by Zhang Wanyi) and Chen Qiaonian, experience hardships on their quest for truth. Lu Xun (played by Cao Lei) uses his pen as a weapon, writing groundbreaking works like "A Madman's Diary." Young revolutionaries like Zhou Enlai (played by Xia Dejun) gradually establish their beliefs while participating in the work-study program in France.

The series culminates with the May Fourth Movement and concludes with the convening of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, fully presenting the awakening and struggle of China's advanced intellectuals and the younger generation during a time of national crisis.

Cast

Awards

Cultural Impact

Following its broadcast, "The Awakening Age" sparked an unprecedented craze for historical dramas. On social media platforms, young audiences spontaneously created a vast amount of content related to the characters. Historical figures like Chen Duxiu, Chen Yannian, and Lu Xun frequently trended as hot search topics. The scene depicting the heroic martyrdom of brothers Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian moved countless viewers, leading to a surge of young visitors spontaneously paying their respects at the Longhua Martyrs' Cemetery in Shanghai.

The series' greatest breakthrough lies in bridging the gap between revolutionary historical dramas and young audiences. By restoring historical figures as flesh-and-blood individuals, showcasing their joys, sorrows, and ideological struggles, it allowed viewers to genuinely feel the ideals, beliefs, and patriotic sentiments of that generation a century ago. Its Douban rating rose from an initial 8.3 to 9.3, with its reputation continuously growing.

Director Zhang Yongxin boldly innovated in audiovisual language, employing numerous cinematic techniques and metaphorical shots, such as imagery of ants crawling and camels traversing the city, lending a poetic expression to the historical narrative. The series won all three major Chinese television drama awards, becoming a rare grand slam winner in recent years and hailed as a new benchmark for revolutionary historical dramas.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/30228394/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/觉醒年代/20374146
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/觉醒年代