Since 1990, actor Sun Weimin has portrayed Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), the first premier of the People's Republic of China, in more than 70 films, television series, and stage productions.
When Renmin De Xuanze (The People's Choice), an epic drama set between 1945 and 1949, invited him to portray Premier Zhou once again, Sun felt deeply honored — his reverence rooted in a profound respect for the premier and the history that shaped New China's destiny.
He recalled that one of the series' most significant plotlines features the Chongqing Negotiations in 1945, which lasted 43 days between the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang. This event marks a crucial political moment when China faced a choice between war and peace following its victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
"The situation in Chongqing in 1945 was complex and delicate, with every word spoken at the negotiating table carrying implications for the nation's future and the fate of its people. To better portray Premier Zhou, I immersed myself in historical materials in advance, carefully studying his words and actions," Sun recalled during a symposium earlier this month.
According to An Ning, deputy head of the Television Drama Project Department at the China Media Group Film, Television and Documentary Center, the 26-episode series achieved an average rating of over 1 percent and was viewed around 160 million times in its first three weeks.
