Drawing the Sword

Synopsis

"Drawing Sword" is a 2005 war-themed drama with a Douban rating of 9.5, directed by Zhang Qian and Chen Jian, starring Li Youbin as Li Yunlong. It tells the legendary military career of Li Yunlong, commander of the Eighth Route Army's independent regiment, from the War of Resistance against Japan to the Liberation War and the Korean War. Broadcast on CCTV with a viewership rating of 13.7% and re-aired over 3,000 times, it is one of China's most influential war dramas.

Overview

Drawing the Sword is a 2005 war-themed television series produced by China Central Television (CCTV), directed by Zhang Qian and Chen Jian, and written by Du Liang and Jiang Qitao. Li Youbin stars as Li Yunlong, with actors such as He Zhengjun, Zhang Guangbei, Tong Lei, and Sun Li joining the cast. The series consists of 30 episodes and premiered on CCTV in September 2005, achieving an exceptionally high viewership rating of 13.7% and becoming the year's ratings champion. It holds a Douban rating of 9.5 and has been rebroadcast over 3,000 times, making it one of the most frequently rebroadcast works in the history of Chinese television.

The series is adapted from Du Liang's novel of the same name. It centers on Li Yunlong, the commander of the Independent Regiment of the 386th Brigade, 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, chronicling his legendary military career from the War of Resistance against Japan through the Chinese Civil War to the Korean War. The character of Li Yunlong—daring in thought and action, unbound by rules, foul-mouthed yet exceptionally courageous—has become one of the most iconic soldier figures on the Chinese screen.

Plot

During the War of Resistance against Japan, Li Yunlong (played by Li Youbin) is the commander of the Independent Regiment of the 386th Brigade, 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army. Unconventional and fearless in battle, he repeatedly employs ingenious tactics on the battlefield. Faced with the Japanese army's encirclement, he dares to "draw his sword"—to confront the enemy even when knowing the odds are against him. This spirit becomes the core theme of the series.

In the War of Resistance, Li Yunlong leads the Independent Regiment in a life-and-death struggle against the Japanese forces behind enemy lines in North China. He sometimes disobeys orders to act on his own initiative and at other times uses unorthodox tactics to defeat enemies far superior in number. His counterpart, Chu Yunfei (played by Zhang Guangbei), is an outstanding general in the Nationalist army. The two are adversaries on the battlefield but hold mutual respect and admiration in private.

After the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War, Li Yunlong and Chu Yunfei confront each other directly on the battlefield. In a fierce battle, both are seriously wounded. While recuperating in the hospital, Li Yunlong meets nurse Tian Yu (played by Tong Lei), and they fall in love and marry.

During the Korean War, Li Yunlong once again heads to the battlefield, enduring life-and-death trials in the brutal combat. However, with the arrival of peacetime, this highly decorated general faces the confusion and challenges of a new era.

Cast

Cultural Impact

The influence of Drawing the Sword extends far beyond that of a typical television series. Li Yunlong has become an enduring meme king in Chinese internet culture, with his lines and expressions turned into countless memes and video clips. The speech about the "spirit of drawing the sword"—facing a powerful opponent, drawing one's sword even when knowing defeat is likely, and becoming a mountain or a ridge even in falling—is considered the most impactful line in the series, widely quoted and disseminated.

Li Youbin's performance is the soul of the series. He portrays Li Yunlong's rugged boldness, cunning wit, and innate sense of duty with seamless authenticity. The military aura emanating from his very bones seems not acted but inherent. It is said that Li Youbin specifically went to military units to experience life and learn soldiers' demeanor and bearing to shape this role.

The series has been rebroadcast over 3,000 times, setting a record for Chinese television dramas. Many TV stations repeatedly air it during prime time, and it still maintains high viewership ratings. The "spirit of drawing the sword" has also become a concept frequently cited in corporate culture training and team building—facing difficulties without retreating, daring to draw one's sword, and forging ahead courageously.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/2254648/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/亮剑
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/亮剑_(2005年电视剧)