“I was born to be a mountain, not a stream; I wish to overlook the mediocre valleys from the peaks of towering mountains. I was born to be a remarkable person, not a blade of grass; I stand on the shoulders of giants and look down upon the timid and lowly.” This is one of the most magnificent oaths, the pledge of Huaping Girls' High School in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, a motto for many girls from the mountains, and a spirit that Principal Zhang Guimei hopes every child can embody.
Before the TV series "When Mountain Flowers Bloom" aired, countless people who knew Zhang Guimei's story had already been deeply moved by her. She is the principal of Huaping Girls' High School in Lijiang, the only completely free girls' high school in China, dedicating her life to education in impoverished mountainous regions. Her story deserves to be told and remembered repeatedly.
"When Mountain Flowers Bloom" is adapted from the true story of Principal Zhang Guimei. The series depicts how grassroots Communist Party members, represented by Zhang Guimei, use education to help countless girls escape the mountains and change their destinies. Through delicate storytelling and authentic scenes, it showcases how Principal Zhang and her team persist in their educational dreams amidst hardships, lighting the lamp of hope for impoverished girls.
On September 27, a seminar for the creation of "When Mountain Flowers Bloom" took place in Beijing.
Still from "When Mountain Flowers Bloom"
At the seminar, Li Xing, Senior Vice President of Xinguang Film and TV Production and producer of "When Mountain Flowers Bloom," referred to a review in which a viewer wrote, "This series allows us to see respect and self-respect." Li Xing emphasized that a realistic biographical work should respect its characters, objective facts, and content. "But what does self-respect mean? This is something I particularly want to share today."
Li Xing
"In implementing this 'self-respect,' we have truly been continuously and long-term refining the script. We repeatedly put ourselves in the audience's shoes to authentically confront our feelings. Additionally, we entrusted the performance to real actors who were selected through multiple rounds. The earthiness and spirit they embody are not merely acted out. We gathered the children together, asking them to feel their bodies and breath barefoot, gradually training them to enter the realm of performance. Finally, as you might have already noticed, our production strives for authenticity; every exam paper and question replicates the actual college entrance examination, including the appearance of the admission letters from Yunnan Normal University and even who the principal was back then." Li Xing shared.
Yuan Zidan
Screenwriter Yuan Zidan introduced that he set three goals for the creation of the script: absolute authenticity, ample dramatic appeal, and a certain social relevance.
Absolute authenticity comes from Zhang Guimei's genuine emotions and experiences. "In my interactions with Teacher Zhang, I sensed her optimistic, resilient, courageous, and humorous character traits. We used these as the foundation for her character while trying to faithfully recreate the real difficulties and issues faced during the establishment of the girls' school. Through character designs and plot development, we embody the poverty and isolation that Teacher Zhang fought against her entire life."
Yuan Zidan further explained that while writing the script, he also fully explored Zhang Guimei's pure happiness as an idealist, designing supporting characters such as Deputy County Head Ma and Director Zhou, each with unique characteristics, which significantly enriched the dramatic elements of the story. "Additionally, rather than focusing solely on the well-known honors Teacher Zhang received for her educational achievements, I insisted on portraying her initial journey, striving to realistically depict the uncertainties she faced while founding the school. The outcome could differ drastically with the absence of any single component. This in itself is both legendary and full of ups and downs. It's a reality of life and a source of the dramatic tension in the series.”
"In what ways can an ordinary person improve the world we live in? Teacher Zhang has set the best example for us with her entire life. Through this series, we hope to resonate with the vibrant vitality of Teacher Zhang, making the audience aware that ideals are still worth pursuing,” Yuan Zidan expressed.
Song Jia
Actress Song Jia, who plays “Zhang Guimei,” reflected on her journey during the filming of this project, summarizing her feelings as: "Chasing light and encountering it, walking in its glow."
Portraying someone with such strong convictions made Song Jia reflect on her own original intentions as an actress. "I have played many historical figures like Song Qingling and Xiao Hong. Whenever I portray real historical personalities, I aim to awaken people's awareness of them. This time was different since I portrayed a contemporary role model who lives among us. I hope to use my performance to help more people understand Teacher Zhang, to love her, remember her, and learn from her. I aim to faithfully interpret this role. I experienced many moving moments. One time, after finishing a scene where we sent the girls into the examination hall, I found myself in tears, unable to hold back.”
During the seminar, a special donation ceremony took place to support the "When Mountain Flowers Bloom" initiative. The production team and actress Song Jia donated funds specifically for the construction projects aimed at enhancing education, sports, and public infrastructure for women and children in Huaping County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. Representatives Song Jia, Wang Juan, Yang Yuming, and Kang Jie presented the donation letter to Li Shenggui, Standing Committee Member of Huaping County and Executive Vice Governor, embodying the "Spirit of the Lamp" beyond the screen, taking practical actions to support the education and development of young people.
Donation Ceremony
