During the Anti-Japanese War, there were three major theaters in Chongqing. After the May 3rd and May 4th bombings this year, only the Cathay Theater was left. The other two theaters had just been repaired and were bombed again.
By the beginning of next year, the Chongqing Sichuan Opera Actors Association was established, and Sichuan opera people collectively devoted themselves to the cause of the Anti-Japanese War. However, they could not find a performance venue, so they could only put up the curtain and start performances in the streets, alleys, and playgrounds.
The domestic premiere of the Nanjing Massacre documentary will be held at the Cathay Theater (near the Liberation Monument in later generations).
The most prosperous Jiefangbei business district in Chongqing in the 21st century has now become a ruin, with craters, ruins and rubble everywhere. The largest crater was in the yard of a family surnamed Zhou. People filled the crater and built a house around it.
A flower bed was circled, small trees and flowers were planted, and a bomb-shaped building was erected in the center of the crater.
This building was designed and made by artists from the Props Department of China Film Studio. The materials are all scrap wood and fabric used in movie sets. It is named "Spiritual Fortress", which is intended to warn the Chinese people to strive for self-improvement and persevere in the war of resistance.
Take heart.
The construction of the "Spiritual Fortress" began after the May 4th bombing, and was bombed twice. Just like the unyielding China, it was bombed again and again and rebuilt again and again. Historically, it was not truly built until the end of 1941.
Completed.
After the "spiritual fortress" was built, it quickly collapsed due to repeated bombings and being exposed to wind and rain. People could only clear the ruins and erect a wooden pole on the base to replace it.
That wooden pole became a new spiritual fortress in the War of Resistance.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the wooden pole symbolizing the spiritual fortress was turned into a standing monument to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, and its name was later changed to the "People's Liberation Monument".
This is the origin of Chongqing’s Liberation Monument.
When Zhou Hexuan came by car, the spiritual fortress was still under construction. Under the surrounding ruins, there were temporary shacks everywhere. Some of the owners of these shacks were war refugees who had fled from other places, and some were locals whose homes had been bombed.
.
The entire main urban area of Chongqing is like this, with shacks on almost every street. People live and work as usual every day, ready to run to the air-raid shelters at any time, living strong and hard-working during the war years.
Student volunteers can be seen from time to time, with male students volunteering to serve as firefighters, patrollers and porters. Female students serve as ambulance personnel. When medicines are insufficient, most of them can only bring some spiritual comfort.
Medicines are really in short supply. 90% of the medicines produced by Zhou Hexuan's pharmaceutical factories have been shipped to the front lines, making them difficult and unaffordable for ordinary civilians.
"Chairman Lin is here!"
Lin Sen was still driving in such a simple manner, and only took a driver with him when he went out. As soon as he got off the car, he was surrounded by students. He smiled and waved very patiently: "Students, thank you for your hard work!"
"Chairman Lin, we are not working hard!" the students shouted.
After every Japanese bombing, more than half of the firefighters who rushed to the scene to put out the fire were male students. They had received simple firefighting training and used hand-pressed water cannons to extinguish fires, but they basically would not rush into the sea of fire to save people.
Because the solid fuel in the bomb can continue to burn for 15 minutes, everyone in the fire scene would have been burned to death.
The reporters took crazy photos of Lin Sen, and then went into the theater to watch the movie together. In addition to officials and reporters, there were also many people from the cultural and educational circles who were invited by Zhou Hexuan to attend the premiere of the documentary.
Except for Zhou Hexuan and people from China Film Studio, today's audiences don't know much about the film. They all come to the theater because of Zhou Hexuan's face.
Soon, the theater fell into dead silence. It wasn't until the ending song "My Motherland" played that people began to curse and curse.
Lin Sen's eyes were a little moist, he sighed and left silently.
However, Zhou Hexuan was surrounded by reporters and was interviewed about the massacre. He distributed the printed information to the reporters.
The next day, more than three-quarters of Chongqing newspapers reported the Nanjing Massacre with indignation. The Central Propaganda Department of the Kuomintang Party also cooperated, publicizing the brutality of the Japanese army and calling on young people to join the army and serve the country.
The cultural circles have also responded, including Liang Shiqiu, who was almost to death from being trolled some time ago. He also said in the article: "When I saw the documentary of the massacre yesterday, I couldn't help but feel chills in my chest. I couldn't imagine that humans could be so violent. How are they different from animals? Japan
He is not only an enemy of China, but also a public enemy of all mankind."
This time, Liang Shiqiu was not criticized again. Everyone followed him in scolding him. At the same time, various propaganda groups in the literary and art circles also carried out information on the Nanjing Massacre at the front and rear for publicity, arousing the common hatred among the entire public.
As for why Liang Shiqiu was scolded, it must be mentioned in a writing battle during the Anti-Japanese War.
At the end of last year, Yang Shiqiu served as the editor-in-chief of the supplement "Byeongmyeong" of the "Central Daily News". He said in the supplement: "The Anti-Japanese War is now above all else, so some people can't forget the Anti-Japanese War at the first stroke of writing. My opinion is slightly different. Regarding materials related to the Anti-Japanese War
Materials that are most welcome outside but have nothing to do with the Anti-Japanese War are good as long as they are true and smooth. There is no need to forcefully include the Anti-Japanese War. As for the empty Anti-Japanese War stereotypes, that is of no benefit to anyone."
These remarks immediately caused a unanimous outcry in the literary world. Opponents said: "In today's China, there is no 'truth' that has nothing to do with the Anti-Japanese War. Everyone is closely related to the Anti-Japanese War."
Lao She, Song Zhi, Wei Mengke, Luo Sun, Zhang Henshui, Ba Ren, Zhang Tianyi... Whether they were leftist literati or liberal literati, they took turns writing articles to scold Liang Shiqiu to death. He was scolded for more than four months in a row.
Liang Shiqiu finally could not withstand the pressure and resigned from the "Pingming" supplement.
The Nanjing Massacre documentary quickly caused a sensation in Sichuan, with theaters packed with moviegoers every day. This situation gradually spread to the southwest and northwest, and the Propaganda Department of the Central Military Commission specially sent copies to various military stations for screening.
In early August, an acquaintance suddenly visited Zhou's residence. It was Shenzui who had saved Zhou Hexuan's life.
"Xiao Shen, are you looking for me for business or personal matters?" Zhou Hexuan greeted warmly.
Shen Zui said: "On business, Mr. Zhou, please come with me to Juntong."
If an ordinary person were invited to visit the Military Command, they would probably be so frightened that they wet their pants, but Zhou Hexuan smiled and said, "Director Dai invites me to have tea?"
"You'll know when you go there," Shen Zui suddenly whispered, "It's a very important matter. I don't understand the specific situation because I'm not at that level yet. It's just because Mr. Zhou and I have an old relationship that the superiors sent me here.
Notified.”
Zhou Hexuan happily went, but as soon as he got in the car, he heard Shen Zui say: "Mr. Zhou, I'm offended."
"What?" Zhou Hexuan did not respond.
Shen Zui took out a piece of black cloth and explained: "You need to cover your eyes."
