Xiaohongshu (RedNote) user Miya shares how the drama unexpectedly united her family: "This summer, I took my child back to my hometown to spend time with my parents. My father was following Glorious Struggle, so we watched it together. The more we watched, the more hooked we became."
She adds, "A drama about heavy history can bring together three generations — grandparents, parents, and children — sharing tears and laughter in front of the same screen."
At the helm is acclaimed director Chen Li, who has won some of China's highest honors — the Golden Rooster, Huabiao, Feitian (Flying Apsaras), and Golden Eagle Awards. Known for historical works like The Bugle from Gutian and The Story of Zhou Enlai, Chen wanted to link the sweeping Chinese revolution to the personal growth of its leaders.
"Everyone knows Aug 1 is Army Day, and many young people want to know when the first shot was fired and why this day matters. I wanted to tell that story in detail so more young people would understand," Chen says.
She also highlighted lesser-known martyrs such as Lu Deming, Wu Zhonghao and Chen Shuxiang. "They were all so young when they died. Learning their stories moved me deeply, and I wanted to share them."
Chen immersed herself in research, consulting dozens of books and visiting memorials. "The more I learned, the more I felt this was worth doing. In life, you should always do something meaningful," she says.
Faced with numerous figures and events, Chen built the narrative around characters rather than strict chronology. She created the fictional Lin's tailor family to represent the people of western Fujian province, whose sacrifices were immense.
"I have deep feelings for western Fujian, and I wanted this work to express my respect," she says. Chen lived among villagers, collecting story after story in notebooks.
