National Tide 1980.

The first martial arts drama introduced to mainland China should be "Huo Yuanjia" from Hong Kong in 1981.

The first original martial arts television series produced entirely by mainland China was the eight-episode series "Wu Song," produced by Shandong Television in 1983.

These two dramas had a significant impact back then.

As is well known, "Huo Yuanjia" rebuilt national self-confidence, strengthened national cohesion between compatriots in mainland China and overseas, and sparked a nationwide martial arts craze, which also directly boosted television sales.

"Wu Song" is a benchmark for adaptations of classic works.

This TV series not only pioneered martial arts design in China and further fueled the martial arts craze, but also inspired national television stations to start a wave of remakes of the Four Great Classical Novels.

If we were to name another martial arts drama that could be compared to these two in terms of influence and significance, it would be "The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain," which aired in 1991.

This is the first Chinese-language martial arts drama to be co-produced by Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China.

Produced with funding from Taiwan, filmed on location in mainland China, and featuring actors from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China.

The lead actors of this drama, Meng Fei, Gong Cien, Wu Yujuan, and Tang Zhenzong, not only became popular across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, but the opening theme song "Love in the Snow" and the ending theme song "Dream Chaser" were also widely sung throughout the country.

This drama also directly sparked a wave of co-productions such as "The Emperor's Adventures" and "The Legend of the White Snake," ushering in an era of in-depth cooperation in Chinese-language dramas.

The biggest innovation and breakthrough of this TV series lies in its attempt to shoot martial arts dramas on location.

For the first time, the production team traveled to Changbai Mountain to film on location in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius, bidding farewell to the era of "fake studio sets" in Hong Kong and Taiwan martial arts dramas.

With its swirling snow and icy peaks and Heavenly Lake, the scene perfectly captures the essence of the "snow-capped mountains" from the original novel, creating a visually stunning experience.

"The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain" established the standard for "realistic martial arts" and influenced the location shooting concepts of all subsequent period martial arts dramas and even fantasy dramas.

Therefore, objectively speaking, Ning Weimin's "The Deer and the Cauldron" is actually lagging behind others, whether from the perspective of "filming on location" or from the gimmick of being the first Jin Yong work filmed in mainland China. He is no longer "the first to try something new".

However, it doesn't matter. In recent years, thanks to the excellent examples set by the national television station, major productions such as "Journey to the West" and "Dream of the Red Chamber" have been tested by the market and their value has become very obvious.

The audience nowadays recognizes this, which is why there was an investment of over 100 million yuan in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Even from the day the project was initiated, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" attracted the attention of people across the country and many media outlets. Every move and every development was closely watched.

Therefore, Ning Weimin's decision to invest 20 million RMB in the TV series "The Deer and the Cauldron" is the most audacious thing in the world.

With the support of 20 million yuan in funding, the production team of "The Deer and the Cauldron" naturally gained the same privileges as the national television station, extending audition invitations to the best actors in the country that they could hardly refuse. This was also the biggest publicity gimmick.

To put it bluntly, this is what it means to be money-driven and spend it recklessly—who cares if he has money?
Therefore, Ning Weimin only showed a little skill, letting Yao Peifang and Zhao Daqing release the relevant information.

"Big Ship Entertainment and Beijing and Tianjin TV stations are jointly creating a mainland martial arts epic, with an investment of 20 million yuan!"

"The mainland version of 'The Deer and the Cauldron' is about to be launched, a comprehensive comparison with the Hong Kong and Taiwan versions!"

"Dachuan Entertainment is investing 30 million to build a Jin Yong martial arts city!"

"The Deer and the Cauldron claims to be filmed entirely on location! Rumor has it that the two male leads will receive over 3,000 yuan per episode!"

"Casting Attracts Attention: The Seven Beauties of 'The Deer and the Cauldron'?"

boom!
In a short period of time, it shocked audiences across the country, especially Jin Yong fans, who were completely agitated and excited.

There has been a lot of discussion about it privately.

"Stop wasting money, okay? Why spend so much money on this kind of nonsensical martial arts drama? Wouldn't it be better to make a version of 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils'?"

"That's incredibly audacious! The version starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung was so well-acted, how dare anyone remake it? Just like the Hong Kong version of 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' that's a classic, no one can surpass it. Would you even want to watch it?"

"That's right, I'm saying that mainland China isn't good at making these kinds of comedic stories. If we actually make them, we'll be outdone by others, which would be so embarrassing."

"Those who say it's bad, go watch 'The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain'! That was also filmed on location with mainland involvement, and who said it was a comedy? The crew revealed that they'll even film the Battle of Yaksa and Shi Lang's attack on Taiwan—it's all big-scale scenes..."

"Damn, am I the only one looking forward to 'The Deer and the Cauldron'? Have you guys even seen it? The protagonist, Wei Xiaobao, married seven stunningly beautiful wives. If this were made into a movie, it would be absolutely amazing..."

That's when they started arguing.

The turmoil within the industry is even greater.

On the one hand, the entertainment industry in Hong Kong and Taiwan was in an uproar, fearing that such a costly entertainment giant had emerged in the mainland, as if the mainland market was not so easy to conquer.

On the other hand, it also greatly stimulated and excited the domestic entertainment industry.

Mainland actors were thrilled to receive audition invitations for "The Deer and the Cauldron," and almost all of them immediately set off for the capital, sparing no expense even if it meant spending their own money.

Those who hadn't received it were extremely envious and tried every means to find connections, preparing to recommend themselves.

So much so that a big shot in the industry, worried about undermining morale in Zhuozhou, called Ning Weimin to subtly suggest that he should be more careful and not raise the actors' fees too outrageously, as it would affect filming here.

The other party only stopped after Ning Weimin assured them that he would never compete with the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" production team for actors, and that even if they used the same actors, they would wait until the other party finished filming their scenes for "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

This is the mass appeal of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, and the influence created by financial power.

Moreover, Ning Weimin has even come up with the theme song for "The Deer and the Cauldron".

He decided to plagiarize a traditional Chinese opera song called "Puppet Show" as the opening theme, keeping it as a trump card for now and not releasing it.

They could also plagiarize another song with a similar style, "Half a Lifetime," as the ending theme, and try it out first with Chen Lin and Jin Haibo, both signed singers of Dachuan Entertainment, to see how it is received by the public and how it will be received by the market.

As expected, it truly lives up to its reputation as one of the most beloved ancient-style songs among netizens in its past life.

Chen Lin and Jin Haibo's audition version had just been recorded and hadn't had a chance to be promoted with "The Deer and the Cauldron" yet. Ning Weimin simply had Da Chuan Entertainment send the audition demo to a radio music program.

The original intention was to have the host listen to the most authentic feedback from the audience, but unexpectedly, it sparked a nationwide music storm overnight.

It should be noted that in the past, the songs commonly sung by the general public in mainland China were either straightforward old ballads, or imitations of popular tunes from Hong Kong and Taiwan, or pure folk songs. No one had ever imagined that the melodious and graceful opera singing style could be combined with the light and smooth pop melody so naturally.

So when Chen Lin's clear and melodious opera voice rang out at the beginning, the line "Half a lifetime has passed, so desolate; fallen flowers break one's heart; you and I are separated by the ends of the earth" instantly captured the ears of all the listeners.

Then Jin Haibo's deep, magnetic pop vocals joined in, "Flowers bloom and wither, filling the sky; it is you who appear and disappear..."

One gentle, one strong; one elegant, one popular; it possesses both the timeless charm of traditional opera and the accessible appeal of pop music. The collision of these two styles creates a wonderful spark that leaves listeners breathless and with a lingering aftertaste. And it must be said, it was quite a coincidence that this year was also the year when the "Red Sun Fever" began to sweep the country.

It turns out that just last December, a cassette tape titled "Red Sun - A New Rhythm Medley of Praises to the Great Leader" was released in mainland China and quickly became a nationwide sensation, becoming the most phenomenal cultural event in China during this period.

These old revolutionary songs, repackaged and rearranged, became an instant hit, spreading throughout the streets and alleys almost overnight via car radios and home radios, far surpassing the popularity of truly mainstream pop songs.

No one expected that these revolutionary songs, by changing their old-fashioned singing style to disco and light rock, with their upbeat rhythms and catchy tunes, would be loved by people all over the country again and become national hits.

Of course, no one could have imagined that just one month after the release of this cassette tape, Big Ship Entertainment would release another song that perfectly combined pop songs with traditional opera singing, and that the adaptation was more innovative and even better to listen to.

One can imagine what kind of reaction the audience will have.
In fact, the radio station was inundated with calls the moment the song was first played.

"Host! What was the name of that song just now? It was so beautiful! The Peking opera singing was absolutely amazing!"

"Please play it again! It's the song sung by Chen Lin and Jin Haibo. I've never heard such a unique song before!"

"Is this the theme song for a TV series? The host mentioned it earlier, but I don't remember."

"Anyway, please tell me the name of this song, and when will the cassette tape be released? I definitely need to buy the tape!"

After three days of continued radio broadcasts, the demo of "Half a Lifetime Gone" spread throughout the country.

Especially in the streets and alleys of Beijing, the home of Peking Opera, this song can be heard almost everywhere, whether in department stores, night markets, or on the radio in schools and factories.

Young people would hold radios, record songs over and over again, and then sing them to each other.

At the cassette tape stalls on the street, the owners were overwhelmed with questions.

Major audio-visual companies also rushed to contact Big Ship Entertainment to purchase the official copyrights of the songs and prepare to produce cassette tapes for release.

Radio stations across the country vied to invite Chen Lin and Jin Haibo to participate in music programs and perform this wildly popular hit song live.

It has to be said that things have actually started to deviate somewhat from Ning Weimin's plan.

So far, nobody cares whether this song is the ending theme of "The Deer and the Cauldron" or what connection it has with martial arts dramas. Everyone is amazed by this unprecedented musical style.

The focus of everyone's discussion was "How can opera singing and pop music go so well together?", "Chen Lin's opera singing is so charming", and "Jin Haibo's voice is so magnetic, he and Chen Lin are such a perfect match".

The Peking Opera community also praised it highly, with many believing that this national treasure has once again become popular with young people.

Even Jiang Nianyun and Kang Shude believed that Ning Weimin had been influenced by the operas they watched, which led to his brilliant idea. They were very pleased with his "clever brain" and admired him greatly.

In short, for a time, "This Half of My Life" became a hit song sung by the whole nation.

Whether old or young, everyone can hum a few lines. Even many professional opera actors have begun to try this popular opera singing style, which has driven a brand new music trend.

However, despite the slight regret, Ning Weimin is not in a hurry.

After all, there's still time. Once the song becomes popular, won't his TV series also gain popularity?

What's more, there are practical benefits too. Chen Lin and Jin Haibo, who sang this song, became overnight sensations.

Previously, as newcomers to the industry, they were only moderately famous with their respective cover songs of Japanese songs.

But things are different now. The two have not only become incredibly popular, but have also become the most popular male-female duo in the country.

The release of the song "Half a Lifetime Gone" completely changed their careers and destinies.

Performance invitations poured in from all over the country, from Beijing to Tianjin, from the Northeast to the South China. Whether it was a commercial performance, a gala, or a local TV program, everyone considered it an honor to have Chen Lin and Jin Haibo perform together. Their appearance fees soared to six or eight thousand yuan, comparable to those of Hong Kong and Taiwan singers at the time.

Many TV drama production teams have also sent invitations, hoping that they can sing their theme songs, and some even want to use this song "Half a Lifetime".

Posters of the two are everywhere on the streets and alleys.

Young people wearing T-shirts with their names printed on them hummed "Half a Lifetime Gone".

Their interviews are played on the radio every day.

Their outfits, hairstyles, and even the tone of their voices have become objects of imitation for young people.

Chen Lin's clear and bright opera singing and Jin Haibo's deep and resonant singing became the most iconic voices of that era, and the two were affectionately known by the audience as the "Jin-Lin Duo".

They became a sensation across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and even listeners in Hong Kong and Taiwan were drawn to their songs, inquiring about this duo from the mainland.

While their current market value may not yet match that of top national artists like Mao Amin, Wei Wei, Cui Jian, and Liu Huan in the mainland music scene, it is still enough to put them on par with artists like Tian Zhen, Fan Linlin, and Hang Tianqi.

The ones who were a bit unlucky were Yang Yuying and Mao Ning, who were originally supposed to be the "golden couple".

Because they weren't famous enough yet, they were a step behind. Obviously, they were no longer the first truly top-tier male and female singing duo in mainland China, and that title was unlikely to ever appear again.

As for Faye Wong, who was still known as Wong Jing-wen at that time, I'm even more sorry.

Because Ning Weimin bought the rights to the song "Easily Hurt Woman," his wife, Matsuzaka Keiko, covered it as a Chinese song.

Therefore, this person has not yet had the opportunity to become popular in mainland China and is still in a period of dormancy.

Then, as expected, the huge success of "This Half of My Life" finally brought Ning Weimin the popularity of "The Deer and the Cauldron".

When everyone later learned that this popular song was actually the ending theme of "The Deer and the Cauldron," viewers who had initially been skeptical of the show changed their minds.

After all, the emotional tone of the song "Half a Lifetime Gone" perfectly matches the tragic feeling of laughter and tears in "The Deer and the Cauldron", expressing the sorrow of life being like a dream and being unable to control one's own destiny through music and lyrics.

Many viewers of "The Deer and the Cauldron" have commented that "this production team is quite interesting; they managed to find such a beautiful theme song that perfectly matches the novel's content. This drama is bound to be excellent."

As a result, the already lively discussion about casting became even more heated, and everyone even began to expect that the TV series would have an even more exciting performance.

As Ning Weimin watched all this and listened to his subordinates' heartfelt admiration, he felt a strange sense of amusement at the unexpected success of their endeavors.

Honestly, he really only wanted to promote the TV series "The Deer and the Cauldron" in advance.

Little did they know that a single song would inadvertently usher in a new era of popular opera-style music in mainland China, and also make the duo Chen Lin and Jin Haibo famous—a truly multifaceted success. (End of Chapter)