The 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is celebrated today, August 1.

People's understanding of army life often comes from its portrayal in films and television dramas.

Some military-themed classics offer the audience a more intuitive sense of the spirit of our soldiers unafraid of hardship and sacrifices.

CGTN spoke with veteran Chinese actor Zhang Guoqiang who played several celebrated Chinese soldiers from different historical periods.

From Gao Cheng, the proud and demanding Captain of the “Steel” 7th Company in TV drama “Soldier Sortie” to Zhang Milong, a member of an “irregular” army against foreign enemies during the 1942 anti-Japanese war in “My Chief and My Regiment,” Zhang has successfully depicted these characters from different backgrounds and personalities.

“There is of course a big difference between acting as a modern soldier and as a soldier of the war years, but the spirit of soldiers, who are ready to defend our country and sacrifice their precious lives, remains the same,” Zhang told CGTN.

But vivid representation of such characters did not come easy. For his role as Gao Cheng, Zhang along with the entire crew of “Soldier Sortie” attended several actual army training sessions, including goose-stepping and sniper training.

However, in preparations for performing as a war-time soldier, Zhang met many war veterans and read several books to learn more about the history.

Zhang was deeply inspired by the spirit of Chinese soldiers. “As an actor, I often feel the same sense of honor as a soldier when I am enacting those characters,” he said. 

Off-screen: A man with social responsibility

Described by many as an actor with the soul of a soldier, Zhang is a man with strong social responsibility.

“These roles taught me self-discipline, even if I’m not a real soldier, I felt it was my duty as an actor to do what I could for the veterans with respect and gratitude.”

The two main topics of his Weibo account pertain to information about Veterans Assistance Programs and donations for people in need.

He himself was involved in setting up a support program for People’s Volunteer Army (transferred from PLA) of the Korean War.

“Our support program makes cotton-padded jackets for our veterans before winter. We collect donations and design medals for them. We chat with them and express our gratitude face to face,” Zhang explained, adding “They should not be forgotten, and we want to make sure they know that they are not forgotten.”

The power of a TV drama

“Soldiers Sortie,” a 2006 military-themed TV drama, is considered the best in the category and has been rated 9.3 out of 10 on China's film rating website Douban.

The story revolves around a shy village boy Xu Sanduo, who’s forced to quit school to join the PLA by his father. It recounts Xu’s journey from a “dunce” to a core member of an elite force in the army. 

Even after 13 years of its release, the fans continue to relish and cherish every aspect of the show.

Thousands of fans has donated a huge amount of money to 13 primary schools where the show was filmed.

“Once a fan told me he has suffered so much pressure in real life, in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, he watches ‘Soldiers Sortie’ every time when he feels like he wants to quit,” Zhang shared with CGTN. 

“‘Never Abandon, Never Give Up’, that’s the creed of the 'Steel” 7th company, and that creed encouraged not only soldiers in the drama but also fans in real life,” Zhang added. “And that is the power of an excellent work.”

“Soldiers have to sacrifice so much for our good life, even in peacetime. They are also on the front lines of the rescue and relief efforts of natural disasters. Hail all the soldiers on this special day,” said Zhang. 

( Top image designer: Du Chenxin. )