A drama series named "Medal of the Republic" has aroused enthusiastic discussion on Chinese social media. The series tells heart-warming stories about the first group of eight recipients of the Medal of the Republic, the country's highest honor for those who have made great contributions to the development of the People's Republic of China.
Among the recipients are combat heroes Li Yannian and Zhang Fuqing, nuclear physicist Yu Min, farmer Shen Jilan, satellite expert Sun Jiadong, "father of hybrid rice" Yuan Longping, nuclear scientist Huang Xuhua, and pharmacologist Tu Youyou.
The series is centered on these heroes' devotion to their careers and continuous efforts to improve Chinese people's lives. Through the patriotism and the never-yielding spirit displayed by the honorees, the series hopes to inspire the younger generation.
According to the series' chief director Zheng Xiaolong, compared to most biopic productions that tend to document the whole life of the featured individual, this series focuses specifically on the individuals' most shining moments. 6park.com比如,《能文能武李延年》主要描写了抗美援朝战场上,由李延年担任指导员的三营7连如何顶住敌人的多次反扑,重新夺回346.6高地的事迹。在刻画一位能文能武的战斗英雄的同时,也塑造了抗美援朝战场上的英雄群像。 6park.comThe episode on Li Yannian, a veteran of Chinese People's Volunteer Army, focuses on the battlefield during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. With his bravery and wisdom, Li and his fellow soldiers retook a strategic highland and fulfilled their mission.
In the episode on nuclear physicist Yu Min, who is regarded as the "father of China's hydrogen bomb," viewers can see how he overcame obstacles and made breakthroughs in hydrogen bomb research after several months of undertaking complex calculations.
图源:电视剧《功勋》
着眼“不平凡中的平凡”
剧中的第七单元《屠呦呦的礼物》,是郑晓龙作为总导演之外,又单独执导的单元。 6park.com
《环球人物》报道称,如何塑造出一个既普通又鲜明生动的,有别于其他影视作品、有别于其他女性科研工作者的屠呦呦的形象,是郑晓龙在创作这个单元伊始首先思考的问题。 6park.com“比方你俩是同事,在路上见到之后跟她打招呼,她都不会理你的。不是因为高冷,而是她没看见。就算你住在她对门好多年,想让她认识你也很难。”郑晓龙说,他观察到的屠呦呦,有一个自成一方的小世界,“或许正是由于这种专注,才让她发现了青蒿素,成为首个获科学类诺贝尔奖的中国人。” 6park.comIn the episode on Nobel Prize winner Tu Youyou, a pharmaceutical chemist and malariologist, you learn about her efforts to develop artemisinin, which is used to treat malaria. Her breakthrough has saved millions of lives, especially in developing countries.
其实,由于当地村貌太新,与剧中所需要的年代感已相距甚远,但导演林楠依然坚持选择此地,因为“申纪兰一辈子没离开过生她养她的这片土地”,剧组想以此致敬这位功勋人物。 6park.comThe episode on national lawmaker Shen Jilan, highlights her efforts to defend women's labor rights and advocate for the inclusion of "equal pay for equal work" between men and women in the Constitution.