2025 marks the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema. From China's first film "Dingjun Mountain" produced in 1905 to "Ne Zha 2" topping the global box office for animated films this year, Chinese cinema has traversed a century, leaving behind countless treasures. Today, let's revisit 10 groundbreaking "firsts" in Chinese film history.  

First film made in China: 'Dingjun Mountain'

In autumn 1905, Ren Qingtai, the owner of the Fengtai Photo Studio, collaborated with Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei to shoot several scenes of the opera movie "Dingjun Mountain" (Ding Jun Shan), which premiered at the Daguanlou Theater in the Dashilar historic area of Beijing's Qianmen District on December 28, 1905. Its creation represented the birth of Chinese cinema.

Location of the earliest film screening in China: Youyicun Tea House

On August 11, 1896, a projector was used to screen some scattered shots that recorded people's work and life at the Youyicun Tea House at the Xuyuan Garden in Shanghai, which attracted many locals to watch and marked the first film screening in China. Xuyuan Garden thus became the first private garden in the history of Chinese cinema to screen movies to the public.

First venue for screening Chinese movies: Daguanlou Theater

Located in the Dashilar historic area of Beijing's Qianmen area, the Daguanlou Theater was built 120 years ago during the late Qing Dynasty. In 1905, the Dahengxuan Tea House was renamed the Daguanlou Theater and screened China's first film – "Dingjun Mountain." Daguanlou later became a cinema, providing culture and entertainment to visitors from home and abroad. 

First professional cinema in China: Shanghai Hongkew Cinema

In 1908, Spanish businessman Antonio Ramos established the first specialized cinema in Shanghai – the Hongkew Cinema. Subsequently, a number of cinemas sprang up in major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, laying the foundation for a national cinema industry. 

China's first long feature film: 'Yan Ruisheng'

"Yan Ruisheng" is a 100-minute silent black-and-white movie that was produced and screened in 1921. Its release put an end to the Western monopoly on sound films in the feature film industry at that time, marking a new era in the development of Chinese cinema.

First sound film in China: 'Sing-song Girl Red Peony'

The three-hour film "Sing-song Girl Red Peony" was shot in 1930 and released in March 1931 and depicts the life and love story of a Peking Opera singer. It is an important milestone in the history of Chinese film, as it ushered in a wave of sound film production in the country.

China's first color film: 'A Wedding in the Dream'

The Peking Opera film "A Wedding in the Dream," also known as "Happiness Neither in Life nor in Death," "Remorse at Death," or "Sheng Si Hen" in Chinese, was released in the late 1940s. The film was directed by the renowned Chinese filmmaker Fei Mu and starred the Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang.

First feature-length film after the founding of the PRC: 'The Bridge'

The 90-minute film "The Bridge" was produced by the Northeast Film Studio and screened in 1949. It tells the story of a team of factory workers who overcame many difficulties to repair the Songhua River railway bridge, ultimately contributing to the victory of the Liberation War.

First color feature film after the founding of the PRC: 'The New Year's Sacrifice'

Produced by the Beijing Film Studio in 1956, the 100-minute film "The New Year's Sacrifice" (Zhu Fu) was adapted from the novel of the same name by Chinese literary master Lu Xun. Through the tragic life experiences of Xianglin's wife, it reflects the social contradictions in the wake of the 1911 Revolution. The story is considered a catalyst for social change.

First wide-screen color film in China: 'The Adventure of a Magician'

Produced by the Shanghai Tianma Film Studio in 1962, the 47-minute film "The Adventure of a Magician" was mainly shot in Shanghai. The movie presented Shanghai as it appeared at that time from the perspective of a magician returning from overseas, and recorded details of the city through a wealth of real-life scenes.