The name of the protagonist was used for the title of this movie, and the movie was actually based on novel that first started at end of the Cultural Revolution. After the end of the Cultural Revolution, the work was finished with governmental encouragement due to its advocacy of nationalism because China was ruled by die-hard conservatives.
These die-hard conservatives still adores Mao and made excuse for Mao by blaming the Gang of Four for the Cultrual Revolution, and not surpringly, the novel was like by them as a way to divert public sentiment against the Cultural Revolution to nationalism, and they supported turning the novel into a movie and a radio show. However, when these were finally accomplished, those die-hard conservatives were forced out of office by popular demand and when their favorite, this movie premiered, it was pretty obvious that such work with the Cultural Revolution mentality naturally faced storm of criticism.
These die-hard conservatives still adores Mao and made excuse for Mao by blaming the Gang of Four for the Cultrual Revolution, and not surpringly, the novel was like by them as a way to divert public sentiment against the Cultural Revolution to nationalism, and they supported turning the novel into a movie and a radio show. However, when these were finally accomplished, those die-hard conservatives were forced out of office by popular demand and when their favorite, this movie premiered, it was pretty obvious that such work with the Cultural Revolution mentality naturally faced storm of criticism.
