THE five-volume “Selected Works of Mao Zedong,” which collects the thoughts and experiences of Chairman Mao, gained more young fans after the airing of TV drama “The Rebel” on China’s streaming platform iQIYI and China Central Television.

The 43-episode spy drama about a group of young people saving the country under the guidance of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and their strong belief in their mission has been getting good reviews since its debut June 7. It currently has an 8.3 out of 10 score on Chinese reviewing platform Douban.

When the 31st episode aired last week, it brought viewers’ excitement to a boil, with some reviews praising it as one of the most stunning highlights of the drama. The lead character Lin Nansheng, played by young actor Zhu Yilong, finds himself trapped in darkness and confusion in the episode. Undergoing medical treatment in Hong Kong in 1938 and feeling desperate to save China from Japanese invaders, he happens to hear a radio broadcast from Yan’an, the revolution center of the CPC, and it is like a light in the darkness helping him find the right direction.

The radio program was a broadcast of Mao’s well-known series of speeches, “On Protracted War.” The speeches were given from May 26 to June 3, 1938 at the Yan’an Association for the Study of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Lin’s excitement while listening to the speech on the radio has been reflected in the young audience members tuning in to the drama. “Probably because I live in an age of peace, I hadn’t tried to understand the experiences and thoughts of revolutionists, but after watching the episode, I suddenly have a similar feeling as Lin and respect the strong will and belief of our predecessors,” said Wan Feng, a 27-year-old audience member.

A 78-year-old veteran surnamed Fang living in North China’s Shanxi Province said that “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” is one of his favorite works as a great deal of wisdom can be found in the books that cannot only be used on the battlefield, but also help people overcome difficulties in work and life.

In addition to Zhu, the drama also stars other popular stars who possess a large number of fans, such as Tong Yao and Wang Zhiwen. Lang Lang plays the piano scores for the series, while Liu Xijun and Ayanga sing the songs.

Restoring history and making audience members feel that it is real are important for this kind of TV series, said Shi Wenxue, a Beijing-based cultural critic.”(Global Times)