Synopsis
"Like a Flowing River" is a 2018 TV series themed around China's reform and opening-up, with a Douban rating of 8.9. Directed by Kong Sheng and Huang Wei, and starring Wang Kai, Yang Shuo, Dong Zijian, and Tong Yao, it is adapted from A Nai's novel "The Great River Flows East." The series tells the stories of three young individuals—Song Yunhui, Lei Dongbao, and Yang Xun—as they strive and struggle amid the tide of reform and opening-up. It is produced by Daylight Entertainment.
Overview
"Like a Flowing River" is a 2018 television series themed around China's reform and opening-up, produced by Daylight Entertainment. Directed by Kong Sheng and Huang Wei, with screenplays by Yuan Keping and Tang Yao, and produced by Hou Hongliang, the series stars Wang Kai, Yang Shuo, Dong Zijian, and Tong Yao, with veteran actors like Yang Lixin also joining the cast. The full series consists of 47 episodes, premiering on Dragon TV and Beijing Satellite TV in December 2018, and holds a Douban rating of 8.9. Adapted from A Nai's novel "The Great River Flows East," the series is set against the backdrop of the reform and opening-up period from 1978 to 1992, telling the stories of three young men from different backgrounds striving in the tide of the times.
Daylight Entertainment has become a gold standard in Chinese television production in recent years, producing several phenomenal works such as "Nirvana in Fire" and "Ode to Joy." "Like a Flowing River" continues Daylight Entertainment's consistent high production standards, winning widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike for its authentic portrayal of life and profound reflection on the era.
Plot
In 1978, the news of the reinstatement of the national college entrance examination, like a spring thunderclap, changed the fate of countless Chinese youth. Song Yunhui (played by Wang Kai), despite his poor family background, gains admission to university through exceptional perseverance and talent. After graduation, he begins working at a state-owned chemical plant. Starting as a grassroots technician, he climbs to higher positions in the wave of state-owned enterprise reforms, relying on his professional skills and integrity. However, as his status rises, he faces increasingly difficult life choices and moral tests.
Lei Dongbao (played by Yang Shuo) is a demobilized soldier who returns to his hometown, Xiaolei Village, to serve as the Party branch secretary. With a bold and decisive personality, he leads the villagers in establishing a brick factory and engaging in aquaculture, placing the village at the forefront of rural reform. However, during rapid development, his rough management style gradually reveals problems, and the collective economy encounters bottlenecks.
Yang Xun (played by Dong Zijian) starts as a self-employed entrepreneur, beginning by selling steamed buns. Through market trials and hardships, he gradually becomes a successful private entrepreneur, relying on his flexible mind and hardworking spirit. He represents the rising force of the private economy during the reform and opening-up, while also experiencing the hardships and risks of individual entrepreneurship.
The three storylines intertwine, offering a panoramic view of China's social transformation and the significant changes in people's lives during the first decade of reform and opening-up, from the perspectives of state-owned, collective, and individual economic forms.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Wang Kai | Song Yunhui | An intellectual from a humble background, striving in a state-owned enterprise |
| Yang Shuo | Lei Dongbao | A demobilized soldier leading a rural collective to prosperity |
| Dong Zijian | Yang Xun | A self-employed entrepreneur navigating the market |
| Tong Yao | Song Yunping | Song Yunhui's gentle and resilient sister |
| Yang Lixin | Secretary Shui | A veteran leader in a state-owned enterprise |
| Zhou Fang | Cheng Kaiyan | Song Yunhui's wife |
Cultural Impact
"Like a Flowing River" is a heartfelt retrospective of China's reform and opening-up history. The period from 1978 to 1992 depicted in the series was a time of earth-shaking changes in Chinese society, where countless ordinary people's fates were altered by the tide of the times. Through the stories of three young men from different social classes and backgrounds, the series allows audiences to relive those passionate years and sparks deep reflection on the original intent and direction of reform and opening-up.
Wang Kai's portrayal of Song Yunhui is considered one of the most representative roles of his acting career. He meticulously depicts the struggles and perseverance of an intellectual from a humble background with lofty aspirations in the tide of the times, with each stage of transformation—from a naive youth to a composed middle-aged man—feeling authentic and believable. Yang Shuo's portrayal of Lei Dongbao showcases another archetype of the Chinese farmer—bold, daring, and enterprising, yet also impulsive and reckless.
The series received multiple nominations at the 25th Shanghai Television Festival Magnolia Awards and is regarded as another peak for Daylight Entertainment following "Nirvana in Fire." The sequel, "Like a Flowing River 2," aired in 2020 and similarly received high praise with an 8.8 rating.
References
- Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/26797690/
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/大江大河
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/大江大河_(电视剧)
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