The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 103 The Light of History
The producer announced, "The show has begun."

Jingwei composed himself and invited Shen Shandeng to enter the makeshift interview area together.

The program's lights shone on my face, warm but not irritating.

Shen Shandeng sat calmly on the sofa. Opposite him, the host Tu Jingwei was dressed in an elegant suit, professional and approachable.

Jingwei said, "Welcome to the interview with Director Shen Shandeng by China Film Report."

"Hello, host."

"First of all, congratulations to Director Shen. The box office performance of 'The Eunuch' has shocked the entire Chinese film industry. It grossed 80 million in its first week, jumped to 150 million in its second week, and is now in its third week, with weekday daily box office still maintaining a level of 10 million. Did you expect this result beforehand?"

Shen Shandeng shook his head: "No, actually I was very worried at the beginning of the release."

"What are you worried about?"

"There are many reasons, after all, no one can predict success before it happens."

"Can you tell me more specifically?"

"It's probably about the character. I created a heroic character that is different from the traditional eunuch. How should I put it? Eunuchs are not that bad, but they are not that good either. Civil officials are not that good, but they are not that bad either."

Jingwei said, "So you had some awareness of this character design, or you weighed it repeatedly?"

Shen Shandeng said, "A movie has to go through so many processes and involve so many different types of work. From the script to the filming, there's the preparation of costumes, props, and sets, as well as various shots and scene breakdowns, and finally, there's the post-production selection. If you say that movies have nothing to do with the director, and that the director doesn't feel what he's doing, then you're just fooling laymen. If you feel that a movie is offending you, then there's no doubt that it's intentionally offensive."

Jingwei understood; Shen Shandeng was implying something. Who was he referring to?
The saying goes, "Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly." Jingwei understands this, and the program's producers and directors understand it even better.

The two looked at each other in shock.

To say that Shen Shandeng mentioned anyone, he didn't actually mention anyone, but everyone knows who he was talking about.

It turns out they had previously thought of having the young assistant director test the waters and see if they could discuss some controversial topics.

Now they feel so stupid. Shen Shandeng rose to power by taking down "The Sinner," so why would someone like him be afraid to talk about "The Sinner"? Definitely not.

On the contrary, they need to think carefully: do they really dare to ask?
They asked, and Shen Shandeng answered. Do they dare to broadcast it?

Jingwei had already anticipated this, but compared to that, the saying "Masters stay at home and finally rise to prominence" is even more damaging.

"So, a lot of choices were made in the film?" Jingwei steered the conversation back to the film.

Shen Shandeng seemed completely oblivious; he was just talking about movies.
"Our team initially thought that the main characters would be civil servants, at least on the surface, with Chen Mo and Lu Bing playing the role of protectors. However, we focused more on Chen Mo as an executor, which made more sense."

Jingwei asked, "Did you give up later?"

Shen Shandeng nodded: "This would not be conducive to focusing on the main characters, so we gave up on it. I clarified this with the audience during the roadshow, and I think I should take this opportunity to clarify it again."

Jingwei's heart skipped a beat: "Clarify what?"

Shen Shandeng said, "The movie is just an artistic creation. The officialdom in the early years of Jiajing's reign was not that corrupt."

"The film portrays the corruption in Xuanfu and Jiangnan in a shocking way. Although it has its historical roots, it is definitely an exaggeration. Strictly speaking, the early years of the Jiajing Emperor, especially after the victory of the Great Rites Controversy, were a decade or so of vigorous reforms. Even after the fire during the southern tour, the officialdom did not collapse to the level of systemic corruption shown in the film."

"Civil officials are not so bad. In this world, hypocrites are always better than genuine villains. One good thing about China's system is the unity of responsibility and authority."

"By demanding unlimited responsibility from the emperor, many officials also have to bear responsibility, including practical responsibility, moral responsibility, and historical evaluation."

"During the Jiajing reign, there were figures like Zhang Cong and Gui E, the latter being even more ruthless. He submitted a memorial to the Jiajing Emperor entitled 'A Study of the People,' advocating for reforms such as the 'Single Whip Law.' Later, Zhang Juzheng's reforms and the Qing Dynasty's 'Equalization of Land Tax and Poll Tax' both originated from this."

"The Grand Secretary of the Wanli Emperor, who later became Zhang Taiyue and Zhang Juzheng, was also influenced and inspired by these people and the Jiajing Restoration. So civil officials were not so bad; there were many who dared to challenge their own class, though their fates were not so good."

“Zhang Cong was not well regarded. He quoted classical texts during the Grand Rites Contest, which was called pandering to the emperor’s wishes. He was always known for his sycophancy.”

"Gui'e also rose to prominence in the Grand Etiquette Movement. The 'Single Whip Law' touched the interests of too many people, so he had to retire and return to his hometown."

"Zhang Juzheng goes without saying. No one dared to oppose him when he was alive. After he died, the consensus in the Ming court was that there could not be another Zhang Juzheng."

That's a real clarification, and Jingwei breathed a sigh of relief.

"Director Shen did a lot of research, so you made a lot of choices in the character design, giving more spotlight to the protagonist. It seems that the success of the film is not accidental, but inseparable from the director's efforts."

Shen Shandeng said, "The power of teamwork."

Shen Shandeng certainly had many considerations. Originally, there was a scene in the movie where Chen Mo made a fortune, getting a share every time he investigated a case and raided a house, but it was cut in later stages to highlight the character's personality.

Of course, this was hinted at by Chen Mo providing Xu Zhicui with a small courtyard and daily necessities.

After all, this was an anti-corruption campaign in an ancient dynasty, which is different from that in modern society.

Shen Shandeng continued, "Fortunately, the eunuchs were not criminals and did not exhibit any criminal characteristics. Although there was a bias in the narrative perspective, in general, it did not distort the truth or stigmatize the hero as a traitor. On the contrary, it did not transform the traitor into a hero."

Jingwei opened her mouth, her rosy lips slightly parted, forming a small "o" shape.

This contrasts subtly with her usual ease and confidence in front of the camera.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly and steered the conversation back on track: "So the box office results were both unexpected and the result of the team's hard work."

Shen Shandeng smiled and said, "Indeed, I expected it to be successful, but I didn't expect it to be this successful. I know that the audience wants to see something different, and they want our own heroes and stories. 'The Eunuch' just happened to be in time and responded to that desire."

"The audience's desire?" Jingwei cleverly followed up: "Director Shen had previously made it clear that he wanted to serve the local audience, and there was anticipation from the audience before the film was released. The film is a response to this desire. How do you view the audience's desire?"

The first word that Jingwei captured was "coinciding at the right time," which, in terms of topicality, could be used to introduce a collision and confrontation with "The Creation of Sin."

But Matrix Partners backed down.

Because she was genuinely worried that Shen Shandeng's response would be too blunt, in her mind, Paperclip was still a film master, and Shen Shandeng was too good at tarnishing the master's reputation.

Shen Shandeng said, "There is a term in film character design called character arc light, which is the light that drives the character. I think history should also have its own light."

Jingwei pressed further: "The light of history?"

Shen Shandeng said: "I think the light of history is what the audience needs. It doesn't need to be exaggerated. Our beautiful landscape is a kind of brilliance, our splendid cultural tradition is a kind of brilliance, and the spirit of self-improvement, hard work, kindness and simplicity of our Chinese nation is a kind of brilliance."

"As a filmmaker, I don't need to exaggerate her; I just need to discover her and get to know her."

"Recognizing our own brilliance will generate self-confidence and self-esteem, which in turn will provide us with the motivation to forge ahead. This motivation is transmitted from us, the creators, to the audience, and the audience will feel it and be moved."

Jingwei was deeply shocked. Shen Shandeng was indeed cultured. She said, "The costumes and props are a direct reflection of Director Shen's historical perspective, right? The python-patterned costume is solemn and dignified overall, without the sinister and ruthless nature of eunuchs and secret police in the traditional setting. The bright red and gold give it a noble, calm and powerful aura."

"The Hidden Scale Sword, the Nine Yin Lotus Platform Gun, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Flying Fish Robe, Embroidered Spring Blade, and Heavenly Punishment Thunderfire Spear—at first glance, they exude a sense of power, showcasing a Ming Dynasty atmosphere unlike anything seen before."

Shen Shandeng nodded: "I think the most important thing is that we have it! The key is that our ancestors left us many good things!"

"For example, I said before that civil officials were not that bad. Why? Because the objective fact is that in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, the Ming Dynasty was the strongest in the world. That is the objective fact."

"To deny this fact is also disrespectful to other nations. If the Ming Dynasty, the world's leading civilization, was corrupt, then what about other medieval civilizations? They must have rotted to the core of the earth!"

Jingwei said, "I've noticed that the movies also refer to themselves as China, but rarely mention the Ming Dynasty?"

“We have always called ourselves China throughout history,” Shen Shandeng said with a smile. “Our history is too splendid.”

“I saw a comment that said the confidence displayed in the film was ‘self-praise,’ and I disagree with that statement; it’s quite ironic.”

"Actually, if Wang Po's melons are indeed good and have their own unique features, why can't she promote them herself? Why can't she express them through a movie and show our self-esteem and self-confidence?"

"Our team is like Wang Po, the matchmaker. We only realized how difficult it is to be a good matchmaker after we did it. First of all, you have to have a thorough understanding of what you have to offer in order to present it well and inspire people."

"To make historical films, one must first know one's own history. How can one love history if one doesn't know it? And how can one have brilliance and spirit if one doesn't love one's own history?"

"What sets 'The Eunuch' apart from previous period dramas is that it's not just about Chinese history on the surface, but also about Chinese history at its core. Our success shows that the audience recognizes and appreciates the glory of history. The audience enjoys the plot, but the underlying message is a resonance with our history."

"We have also proven that you don't need to pile on a star-studded cast; you can just make a good film with the core of Chinese history and values. From the core to the action, whether it's the expression of the narrative or the plot, if we can achieve this, we'll be a good matchmaker, and the 'melon' will sell well."

"In other words, once we've grasped the secret to wealth, the film market will take whatever we want from you."

At the start of the interview, Jingwei's smile was relaxed and professional, but as the conversation deepened, Shen Shandeng threw out more and more information, and the impact of unfamiliar information came with tremendous energy.

She has hosted film programs, met countless directors and actors, and heard all kinds of ambitions, but no one has ever been like Shen Shandeng, who not only achieved earth-shattering box office results, but also confidently and calmly explained her plans, with a clear sense of purpose and unwavering determination.

It was as if she held a blueprint in her hands, ready to push the entire industry in a completely new direction that she could hardly imagine.

"So, you've found the formula for making period dramas? Something like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, you just follow the formula?"

(End of this chapter)