My Chief and My Regiment
Encyclopedia
My Chief and My Regiment , also known in short by its fans as simply "Chief" (团长) or "The Chief Show" (团剧), is a highly popular 2009 Chinese
TV series produced by Huayi Brothers Media Group. The series is directed by Kang Honglei (康红雷), with Wu Yi (吴毅) as the chief producer, and is based on the novel of the same name by award-winning author Lan Xiaolong (兰晓龙). Both Kang and Lan were famous for making of the popular 2006 military drama series Soldiers Sortie.
National Revolutionary Army
Expeditionary Force in Burma
fighting the Imperial Japanese Army
during the 1942 Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road
at the Second Sino-Japanese War
.
The Chinese troops landed in Myanmar
to support the British allied forces
operations. The aim was to protect the road since it served as an important supply route after China's ports fell under Japanese control. When the British forces withdrew their support and surrendered, part of the remaining Chinese troops was forced to abandon their heavy equipments and retreat in loose formations through the harsh Burmese jungles, experiencing constant enemy pursue and ambush. Of the 100,000 strong Chinese Expeditionary Force sent to fight, only around 40,000 returned home.
The story follows a small group of soldiers being refuged in Yunnan
, and is narrated through the eyes of a limping young Beiping student-turned-soldier named Meng Fanliao (孟烦了). After experiencing various NRA defeats during the battles of the China proper
, the battle-weary soldiers had lost hope and largely forgotten by their superiors. When the 1st Burma Campaign
went away, these pessimistic men from all parts of China were again conscripted into the newly regrouped "Sichuan
Regiment" and airlifted into Burma. However, before they could be properly armed and supplied, a general retreat was ordered and the group was left fleeing from the enemy. Cornered and stranded, they ran into a mysterious man named Long Wenzhang (龙文章), who claimed to be a lieutenant colonel
and their regiment
commander. Under Long's command, the group rallied other scattered fellow troopers, regained their honor and hope, and fought back fiercely against the superior Japanese forces. Within one day and night, the encircled men drove the Japanese off a hill top and repelled 17 counterattacks, enduring constant artillery barrages and a bloody nocturnal tear gas bayonet assault
, earning time for the Nu River defence to be organized.
When the only 11 survivors of the 1,000-strong regiment made it alive back to the friendly side, they were shocked to discover that Long was not their chief at all, but merely a lowly lieutenant logistics officer
(the rank was achieved through bribery
), who stole the insignia and uniform of a fallen commander. After court-martial
, they all believed that Long was certain to be executed for the felony, but to their surprises Long was later appointed their genuine regiment chief. The new detachment was disfavored by other regular troops and was badly undersupplied, and Long's unorthodox leadership style (which upset the divisional command) only added salt to injury. The disesteemed "Cannon Fodder Regiment
", as expendable "fuel of war", was then put in charge of a high-risk assault operation on an strongly fortified mountain occupied by the Japanese forces.
For instance, the TV show ends with climactic Battle of the South Heaven's Gate (the mountain fortress assault), and then switches to modern times with an aged Meng Fanliao rekindling his wartime memories while walking home. The novel however, continued into the Chinese Civil War
and narrated Long's suicide in defiance against orders to fight his fellow countrymen, the regiment's break-up/demise after his death, and Meng Fanliao's capture and recruitment by a young PLA
soldier from a "7th Company" (implied to be the later "Steely 7th Company" of Soldiers Sortie). This part of the plot was originally considered as the final 4 episodes of the TV production, but was later scrapped.
The final fates of many of the main characters are also changed in the TV production. Mi Long (迷龙), the squad machine gunner, survived the final battle in the TV series, but in the novel Long was forced to personally execute him for shooting a fleeing artillery commander (the nephew of an army commander) during a Japanese air raid
. Zhang Lixian (张立宪), an arrogant elite from the divisional reconnaissance battalion, committed suicide after being disfigured by Japanese mustard gas, while in the novel he lived on to become a loyal member of the regiment. In the novel there are actually 22 survivors crossing the Nu River after the regiment's first last stand
battle with the Japanese, but only 11 in the TV series (in both versions, one men was thought to be dead but later found alive in a grave condition). Meng's father, a pedantic old-fashioned scholar, was merely a docile civilian who surrendered to the Japanese in order to preserve his precious book collection, in the novel he actually went further and became a Japanese puppet (a proxy village supervisor) and was committing the treacherous
act of keeping a comfort woman
for the invaders. Some of the characters from the original novel was also omitted to unnamed supporting characters in the TV series.
during the American general's time in China as the Allied commander. Kang was immediately interested in the Yunnan-Burma theatre of the struggle against Imperial Japan
, as the fighting in southwestern China was often neglected in modern Chinese history textbooks.
Kang, together with his friend Lan Xiaolong, travelled to Yunnan in April 2007, visiting local war museums, soldiers' cemeteries and interviewing many aged surviving veterans. They were shocked by the sheer numbers of casualties and sacrifices, and was ashamed of their own lack of knowledge in that part of history. Lan reportedly broke down in tears after returning to his hotel. Feeling owing to the unnamed fallen heroes, Kang decided that his next TV production will be focused on NRA's Yunnan battlefront. One year later, Kang led a 200-man production team to Yunnan, and spent over 6 months shooting the series. Kang insisted his team to work in the most harsh environment in order for the actors to experience the harsh reality of battlefield. Many actors later stated that the time in Yunnan was like "fighting a war" and a few had openly claimed the decision not to act in any war dramas in the near future.
The final battle in My Chief and My Regiment was directly inspired by the Battle of Mount Song
(松山战役) in 1944, the largest campaign in southwestern China during the Second World War. The Chinese casualties in that battle numbered in the rank of over 20,000. The series presented an alternative outcome of the battle (Long's attack squad infiltrated the Japanese tunnel system and disrupted the enemy lines), but the sand table
battle in Episode 31 to 33 is actually a true depiction of what really happened (a Chinese frontal assault that was repeatedly ambushed, causing heavy casualty).
s). The series was purchased at a record-high price of over 1 million yuan
per episode for the initial round of airing by 4 major provincial satellite TV stations — Beijing
, Shanghai
, Jiangsu
and Yunnan
, in agreement that all will air the series on March 2, 2009. In late February, Beijing TV requested postponing the airing to March 9 due to clashes of slots with its current-running drama series, drawing complaints from other stations. After much negotiating, the stations agreed that none will air the series prior to March 5.
Jiangsu TV then announced that it will begin the series in a commercial-free timeslot at 12 am sharp on March 5, exploiting a loophole in the agreement. The 3-episode midnight run set an all-time record in terms of ratings, and successfully established Jiangsu TV a head-start against its competitors. To maintain that advantage, Jiangsu TV then proceeded to run 2 episodes per day as agreed, followed by an unprecedented 11-episode re-run during the following weekend.
The other stations then scrambled to catch up, but restricted by the "2 episodes per day" agreement, resorted to various unusual (sometimes unethical) strategies. Yunnan TV for instance, introduced the "24-hour rolling" airing dedicated to the show. Eastern TV (Shanghai TV) in particular, shortened 3 episodes into 2 by deleting scenes in order to speed up the broadcast, leading to frustration among viewers. The rumor then came that Eastern TV declined payment to the series' distributor as it claimed others had violated the airing agreement. The subsequent verbal sparring and disruption of normal programming eventually led to the intervention of SARFT
and signing of a new regulation by all TV stations across the country.
Ironically, the money/rating-centric attitude of the TV stations only served to their disfavor, as annoyed viewers were deterred away causing the TV ratings to drop. The series however was very successful in DVD sales, and set records to online streaming
as well as peer-to-peer
download
s on major websites such as Youku and Tudou. The series' original novelized screenplay also sold exceptionally well.
The series is currently due for the 2nd-round airing by another 4 provincial satellite TV networks — Zhejiang
, Shandong
, Hebei
and Sichuan
. The 3rd-round airing will be done by Guangdong
TV after the 2nd round.
On April 20, a temporary hut built on a local bridge collapsed on set. Falling debris injured up to 50 civilian actors who were recruited for a crowd scene. No fatalities were reported. Though the production was not delayed, a large amount of compensation was paid, driving up the production cost.
s". The series was also branded a "divide
" as many felt marginalized by the series' complex straight play
-style dialogues. Some viewers experienced difficulty in understanding dialogues and the messages they conveyed, and often had to go and consult the novel.
Many netizen
s in China have complained about 3 seconds of footage that seemed to be copied straight from the 2001 American movie Pearl Harbor
, particularly the aerial combat scenes where specific aircraft are being analyzed and modified to fit into the series' 3D special effects.
Some viewers complained about the military equipments in the show being like a "mixing pot", as the regiment was equipped with weapons and helmets varying from British
, French
, German
, to Japan
ese and American
, not typical of NRA soldiers, who were usually thought to be American-trained and equipped. The TV series actually portrayed history faithfully as the 1st Burmese Expedition of 1942 were organized mainly from former local Chinese warlords from Yunnan
, Sichuan
and Guangxi
provinces, whose military equipments varied greatly. The series' dedicated regiment was also defined as a delinquent group neglected and disliked by their superiors, and hence scavenged any utilities they could find, while the elite elements of NRA was portrayed as either German or American-equipped. In fact, the production team used real weapons from local war museums that fired blank rounds
for sense of realism.
Some viewers also criticized one particular scene where NRA soldiers surround and bash a Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go
tank with dadao
s and buttstock
s, calling the scene as "ridiculous" and "degrading to fallen soldiers". However, this is historically factual as many National Revolutionary Army soldiers (especially those from local armed forces) were illiterate conscripts who had never seen tanks previously. The NRA also lacked sufficient anti-tank weapons, leaving its troopers often resort to desperate and extreme measures to fight against the enemy. One Japanese painting named "The desperate fight of the mini-tank" specifically portrayed Chinese soldiers charging a stalled tank with their bayonets.
The series has received several minor awards after its release, and is ranked 3rd of all television series released in Mainland China during 2009 by various entertainment journals. It was nominated for "Best Screenplay", "Best Director", "Best Leading Actor" and "Gold Award" at the 15th Shanghai Television Festival.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
TV series produced by Huayi Brothers Media Group. The series is directed by Kang Honglei (康红雷), with Wu Yi (吴毅) as the chief producer, and is based on the novel of the same name by award-winning author Lan Xiaolong (兰晓龙). Both Kang and Lan were famous for making of the popular 2006 military drama series Soldiers Sortie.
Story
The series is about the ChineseRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
Expeditionary Force in Burma
Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma
1st Route Expeditionary Forces - Lo Cho-ying [1]* Commander – US Army Lieut.-General JW Stilwell [4]* Chief of the Chinese General Staff Mission to Burma - Lieut.-General Lin Wei[4]...
fighting the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
during the 1942 Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road
Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road
Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road was the name of the Chinese intervention to aid their British allies in the 1942 Burma Campaign. Its forces were composed of the Fifth, Sixth and Sixty-sixth Army under the command of the Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma, commanded by Lt. General Joseph Stilwell, Lt...
at the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
.
The Chinese troops landed in Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
to support the British allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
operations. The aim was to protect the road since it served as an important supply route after China's ports fell under Japanese control. When the British forces withdrew their support and surrendered, part of the remaining Chinese troops was forced to abandon their heavy equipments and retreat in loose formations through the harsh Burmese jungles, experiencing constant enemy pursue and ambush. Of the 100,000 strong Chinese Expeditionary Force sent to fight, only around 40,000 returned home.
The story follows a small group of soldiers being refuged in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, and is narrated through the eyes of a limping young Beiping student-turned-soldier named Meng Fanliao (孟烦了). After experiencing various NRA defeats during the battles of the China proper
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, the battle-weary soldiers had lost hope and largely forgotten by their superiors. When the 1st Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign 1942-1943
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II took place over four years from 1942 to 1945. During the first year of the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army had driven British forces and Chinese forces out of Burma, and occupied the country...
went away, these pessimistic men from all parts of China were again conscripted into the newly regrouped "Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
Regiment" and airlifted into Burma. However, before they could be properly armed and supplied, a general retreat was ordered and the group was left fleeing from the enemy. Cornered and stranded, they ran into a mysterious man named Long Wenzhang (龙文章), who claimed to be a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and their regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
commander. Under Long's command, the group rallied other scattered fellow troopers, regained their honor and hope, and fought back fiercely against the superior Japanese forces. Within one day and night, the encircled men drove the Japanese off a hill top and repelled 17 counterattacks, enduring constant artillery barrages and a bloody nocturnal tear gas bayonet assault
Banzai charge
Banzai charge was a term applied during World War II by the Allied forces to human wave attacks mounted by infantry forces of the Imperial Japanese Army...
, earning time for the Nu River defence to be organized.
When the only 11 survivors of the 1,000-strong regiment made it alive back to the friendly side, they were shocked to discover that Long was not their chief at all, but merely a lowly lieutenant logistics officer
Logistics Officer
A Logistics Officer is a member of an armed force responsible for overseeing the support of an army, air force, or navy both at home and abroad. Logistics Officers can be stationary on military bases or deployed as an active part of a field army, air wing, or naval force. The responsibilities of...
(the rank was achieved through bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
), who stole the insignia and uniform of a fallen commander. After court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
, they all believed that Long was certain to be executed for the felony, but to their surprises Long was later appointed their genuine regiment chief. The new detachment was disfavored by other regular troops and was badly undersupplied, and Long's unorthodox leadership style (which upset the divisional command) only added salt to injury. The disesteemed "Cannon Fodder Regiment
Cannon fodder
Cannon fodder is an informal, derogatory term for military personnel who are regarded or treated as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where soldiers are forced to deliberately fight against hopeless odds in an effort to achieve a strategic goal...
", as expendable "fuel of war", was then put in charge of a high-risk assault operation on an strongly fortified mountain occupied by the Japanese forces.
Differences between novel and TV version
The TV production of My Chief and My Regiment is more-or-less faithful to Lan Xiaolong's original novelized storyline, however there are some discrepancies due to various reasons.For instance, the TV show ends with climactic Battle of the South Heaven's Gate (the mountain fortress assault), and then switches to modern times with an aged Meng Fanliao rekindling his wartime memories while walking home. The novel however, continued into the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
and narrated Long's suicide in defiance against orders to fight his fellow countrymen, the regiment's break-up/demise after his death, and Meng Fanliao's capture and recruitment by a young PLA
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
soldier from a "7th Company" (implied to be the later "Steely 7th Company" of Soldiers Sortie). This part of the plot was originally considered as the final 4 episodes of the TV production, but was later scrapped.
The final fates of many of the main characters are also changed in the TV production. Mi Long (迷龙), the squad machine gunner, survived the final battle in the TV series, but in the novel Long was forced to personally execute him for shooting a fleeing artillery commander (the nephew of an army commander) during a Japanese air raid
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
. Zhang Lixian (张立宪), an arrogant elite from the divisional reconnaissance battalion, committed suicide after being disfigured by Japanese mustard gas, while in the novel he lived on to become a loyal member of the regiment. In the novel there are actually 22 survivors crossing the Nu River after the regiment's first last stand
Last stand
Last stand is a loose military term used to describe a body of troops holding a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds. The defensive force usually takes very heavy casualties or is completely destroyed, as happened in "Custer's Last Stand" at the Battle of Little Big HornBryan Perrett...
battle with the Japanese, but only 11 in the TV series (in both versions, one men was thought to be dead but later found alive in a grave condition). Meng's father, a pedantic old-fashioned scholar, was merely a docile civilian who surrendered to the Japanese in order to preserve his precious book collection, in the novel he actually went further and became a Japanese puppet (a proxy village supervisor) and was committing the treacherous
Hanjian
In Chinese culture, a Hanjian is a derogatory and pejorative term for a race traitor to the Han Chinese nation or state, and to a lesser extent, Han ethnicity. The word Hanjian is distinct from the general word for traitor, which could be used for any race or country...
act of keeping a comfort woman
Comfort Woman
Comfort Woman is the fifth solo album by Me'shell Ndegeocello. It was released October 14, 2003 on Maverick Records. The album peaked at #150 on the Billboard Top 200 list that year. The album also peaked at #43 on Billboard's R&B Album chart. The LP was the final record released by Maverick,...
for the invaders. Some of the characters from the original novel was also omitted to unnamed supporting characters in the TV series.
Inspiration
Director Kang Honglei, instead of feeling joyful after the run-away success of Soldiers Sortie, became very worried that this would be the his career apogee (and hence the start of downfall). He began looking for new ideas for his upcoming productions. In early 2007, Kang set his eyes on The Stilwell Papers, the compiled journal of Joseph StilwellJoseph Stilwell
General Joseph Warren Stilwell was a United States Army four-star General known for service in the China Burma India Theater. His caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "Vinegar Joe"...
during the American general's time in China as the Allied commander. Kang was immediately interested in the Yunnan-Burma theatre of the struggle against Imperial Japan
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, as the fighting in southwestern China was often neglected in modern Chinese history textbooks.
Kang, together with his friend Lan Xiaolong, travelled to Yunnan in April 2007, visiting local war museums, soldiers' cemeteries and interviewing many aged surviving veterans. They were shocked by the sheer numbers of casualties and sacrifices, and was ashamed of their own lack of knowledge in that part of history. Lan reportedly broke down in tears after returning to his hotel. Feeling owing to the unnamed fallen heroes, Kang decided that his next TV production will be focused on NRA's Yunnan battlefront. One year later, Kang led a 200-man production team to Yunnan, and spent over 6 months shooting the series. Kang insisted his team to work in the most harsh environment in order for the actors to experience the harsh reality of battlefield. Many actors later stated that the time in Yunnan was like "fighting a war" and a few had openly claimed the decision not to act in any war dramas in the near future.
The final battle in My Chief and My Regiment was directly inspired by the Battle of Mount Song
Battle of Mount Song
The Battle of Mount Song in 1944 was the largest campaign in southwestern China during the Second World War. Chinese aimed to retake control over the Burma Road. Japan were losing the war in Burma and aimed to block off the highway for as long as they could. They used slave labor from Thailand...
(松山战役) in 1944, the largest campaign in southwestern China during the Second World War. The Chinese casualties in that battle numbered in the rank of over 20,000. The series presented an alternative outcome of the battle (Long's attack squad infiltrated the Japanese tunnel system and disrupted the enemy lines), but the sand table
Sand table
Sand table is a term for using constrained sand for modeling or educational purposes. The original version of a sand table may be the abax used by early Greek students.-Abax:...
battle in Episode 31 to 33 is actually a true depiction of what really happened (a Chinese frontal assault that was repeatedly ambushed, causing heavy casualty).
Airing chaos and rating war during initial broadcast
The promotion of My Chief and My Regiment was nothing short of extravagant. The series enjoyed high expectations from die-hard fans of Soldiers Sortie as the hyped "sister production" of the latter (almost the entire cast from Soldiers Sortie returned for major roles or cameo appearanceCameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s). The series was purchased at a record-high price of over 1 million yuan
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
per episode for the initial round of airing by 4 major provincial satellite TV stations — Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
and Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, in agreement that all will air the series on March 2, 2009. In late February, Beijing TV requested postponing the airing to March 9 due to clashes of slots with its current-running drama series, drawing complaints from other stations. After much negotiating, the stations agreed that none will air the series prior to March 5.
Jiangsu TV then announced that it will begin the series in a commercial-free timeslot at 12 am sharp on March 5, exploiting a loophole in the agreement. The 3-episode midnight run set an all-time record in terms of ratings, and successfully established Jiangsu TV a head-start against its competitors. To maintain that advantage, Jiangsu TV then proceeded to run 2 episodes per day as agreed, followed by an unprecedented 11-episode re-run during the following weekend.
The other stations then scrambled to catch up, but restricted by the "2 episodes per day" agreement, resorted to various unusual (sometimes unethical) strategies. Yunnan TV for instance, introduced the "24-hour rolling" airing dedicated to the show. Eastern TV (Shanghai TV) in particular, shortened 3 episodes into 2 by deleting scenes in order to speed up the broadcast, leading to frustration among viewers. The rumor then came that Eastern TV declined payment to the series' distributor as it claimed others had violated the airing agreement. The subsequent verbal sparring and disruption of normal programming eventually led to the intervention of SARFT
State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television is an executive branch under the State Council of the People's Republic of China...
and signing of a new regulation by all TV stations across the country.
Ironically, the money/rating-centric attitude of the TV stations only served to their disfavor, as annoyed viewers were deterred away causing the TV ratings to drop. The series however was very successful in DVD sales, and set records to online streaming
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
as well as peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
download
File sharing
File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multimedia , documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented through a variety of ways...
s on major websites such as Youku and Tudou. The series' original novelized screenplay also sold exceptionally well.
The series is currently due for the 2nd-round airing by another 4 provincial satellite TV networks — Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
and Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
. The 3rd-round airing will be done by Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
TV after the 2nd round.
Accidents during production
On April 8, 2008, while shooting battle scenes, the chief firework technician Guo Yan (郭岩) and 2 of his assistants were caught in a blast when nearby live-charges accidentally exploded. Guo was fatally hit in the chest by a flying shrapnel. The incident was a huge blow to the crew, and the production was halted for a week.On April 20, a temporary hut built on a local bridge collapsed on set. Falling debris injured up to 50 civilian actors who were recruited for a crowd scene. No fatalities were reported. Though the production was not delayed, a large amount of compensation was paid, driving up the production cost.
Receptions and complaints
My Chief and My Regiment received polarized receptions from TV audiences. Many rated the series highly, calling it "a milestone in Chinese TV productions" for the innovative break-away from the traditional style of war dramas. The series' recreation of realistic battlefields was also praised by the majority audience. The series' die-hard fans, known as "Chief fans" (团粉), often considered themselves "suffering from the Chief addiction (团毒)" that made them distasted to other politically "glorified" but unrealistic mainstream war dramas. However, some viewers disliked the series' portrayal of the war-fatigued soldiers, criticizing the dirty and undisciplined appearance as "eyesoreEyesore
An eyesore is an unpleasant view. Its technical usage is as an alternative perspective to the notion of landmark. Common examples include dilapidated buildings, graffiti, litter, polluted areas and excessive commercial signage such as billboards. Some eyesores may be a matter of opinion such as...
s". The series was also branded a "divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
" as many felt marginalized by the series' complex straight play
Straight play
A straight play is a term used to describe a form of theatrical production featuring spoken drama.While music is one of Aristotle's six elements of theatre, a straight play does not usually include singing. However, some singing may be used for special characterisation...
-style dialogues. Some viewers experienced difficulty in understanding dialogues and the messages they conveyed, and often had to go and consult the novel.
Many netizen
Netizen
The term Netizen is a portmanteau of the English words internet and citizen. It is defined as an entity or person actively involved in online communities and a user of the internet, especially an avid one. The term can also imply an interest in improving the internet, especially in regard to open...
s in China have complained about 3 seconds of footage that seemed to be copied straight from the 2001 American movie Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor (film)
Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American action drama war film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Randall Wallace, who wrote the screenplay...
, particularly the aerial combat scenes where specific aircraft are being analyzed and modified to fit into the series' 3D special effects.
Some viewers complained about the military equipments in the show being like a "mixing pot", as the regiment was equipped with weapons and helmets varying from British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, not typical of NRA soldiers, who were usually thought to be American-trained and equipped. The TV series actually portrayed history faithfully as the 1st Burmese Expedition of 1942 were organized mainly from former local Chinese warlords from Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
provinces, whose military equipments varied greatly. The series' dedicated regiment was also defined as a delinquent group neglected and disliked by their superiors, and hence scavenged any utilities they could find, while the elite elements of NRA was portrayed as either German or American-equipped. In fact, the production team used real weapons from local war museums that fired blank rounds
Blank (cartridge)
A blank is a type of cartridge for a firearm that contains gunpowder but no bullet or shot. When fired, the blank makes a flash and an explosive sound . Blanks are often used for simulation , training, and for signaling...
for sense of realism.
Some viewers also criticized one particular scene where NRA soldiers surround and bash a Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go
Type 95 Ha-Go
The was a light tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army in combat operations of the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It proved sufficient against infantry, however, like the American M3 Stuart, it was not designed to fight other tanks...
tank with dadao
Dadao
The dadao one of the varieties of dao or Chinese saber, is also known as the Chinese great sword. Based on agricultural knives, dadao have broad blades generally between two and three feet long, long hilts meant for "hand and a half" or two-handed use, and generally a weight-forward balance...
s and buttstock
Stock (firearm)
A stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is a part of a rifle or other firearm, to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against one's shoulder when firing the gun. Stocks are also found on crossbows though a crossbow stock is more properly referred to as a...
s, calling the scene as "ridiculous" and "degrading to fallen soldiers". However, this is historically factual as many National Revolutionary Army soldiers (especially those from local armed forces) were illiterate conscripts who had never seen tanks previously. The NRA also lacked sufficient anti-tank weapons, leaving its troopers often resort to desperate and extreme measures to fight against the enemy. One Japanese painting named "The desperate fight of the mini-tank" specifically portrayed Chinese soldiers charging a stalled tank with their bayonets.
The series has received several minor awards after its release, and is ranked 3rd of all television series released in Mainland China during 2009 by various entertainment journals. It was nominated for "Best Screenplay", "Best Director", "Best Leading Actor" and "Gold Award" at the 15th Shanghai Television Festival.
See also
- Soldiers Sortie
- commons:China Burma India Theater of World War II
- commons:Sun Li-jen
- commons:China Expeditionary Force
- commons:Chinese Army in India
- commons:Salween River Bridge
- commons:Merrill's Marauders
- commons:Flying Tigers