The stills of TV series "Stories at the foot of Lion Mountain"

The stills of TV series "Stories at the foot of Lion Mountain"

Poster of TV series "Stories at the foot of Lion Mountain"

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, The Story at the foot of Lion Mountain, starring Huang Jue, Hu Xinger, Li Zhiting and others, was broadcast on CCTV comprehensive channel. Tea restaurant, barbecued rice, Cantonese songs... It seems like an old friend who has been reunited for a long time, and many audiences have been brought back to the familiar atmosphere of the era when the broadcast began. As the plot moves forward, the audience is more surprised to find that this is not only the aftertaste of Hong Kong flavor, but also the return of people's hearts. Through this play, the audience can see the struggling life of ordinary Hong Kong workers who are hardworking and helpful, and see the background and nature of Hong Kong society through the fate of ordinary Hong Kong citizens.

The TV drama "Story at the foot of Lion Mountain" tells a story about the inside and outside of a tea restaurant. It takes the life experiences of two generations as the context, reflecting the impact of major historical events such as the signing of the Sino British Joint Declaration, Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the Asian financial crisis, Beijing's successful bid for the Olympic Games, and the fight against SARS as one, It describes the ups and downs of the fate of ordinary people in Hong Kong under the changes of the times, and interprets the family and country feelings of the small family and the country, Hong Kong and the mainland sharing the same fate.

The Story at the foot of Lion Mountain began with the signing of the Sino British Joint Declaration in 1984 and ended with the booming development of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. In the past 40 years, Hong Kong society has undergone tremendous changes. As a unique symbol of Hong Kong's food culture, the tea restaurant has long been deeply embedded in the daily life of Hong Kong citizens, participating in their emotions and witnessing their struggle. The story at the foot of Lion Mountain takes the tea restaurant as the main scene, which is very grounded. It is appropriate and natural for both Hong Kong and mainland audiences.

Classic scenes cannot be separated from typical characters. In the "like you" tea restaurant, the group images of Hong Kong citizens with different backgrounds and personalities are condensed. Li Gaoshan, a native of Hong Kong, is pure hearted and generous; Liang Huan from Foshan, Guangdong, is strong and persistent in adversity; Although Laojin was fond of gambling in his early years, he was upright and magnanimous, and finally got on the right track; Luo Tongtong, a western food chef, is funny and happy. He is a happy enemy with Zhen Simei, a "Hong Kong style pretty lady" who is hard on the outside but soft on the inside; There is also the "great wealth" who is arrogant in appearance but values emotion and righteousness in fact... Each character has a distinctive personality. Their own personality characteristics are obvious and their pursuit is different, but they coexist and support each other.

The value of this play is that it does not avoid the weakness of human nature. From individual Hong Kong people's prejudice against new immigrants to various suspicions when facing interests; From the prevalence of speculation in real estate to the stratification brought about by the gap between rich and poor - The Story at the foot of Lion Mountain conveys an inclusive, warm and positive force to face difficulties, build hope, bridge barriers and move forward hand in hand - this is the source of vitality of Hong Kong. As the background music in the play sings, "Let go of the contradictions in each other's hearts, pursue the ideals together, and the people in the boat swear to follow, fearless and fearless..."

The spirit of a city is not a decoration. It is always reflected in the details of life and the background of society. By presenting the real life experience of ordinary Hong Kong citizens, The Story at the foot of Lion Mountain not only vividly depicts the spirit of hard work, hard work, pioneering, flexible, and self-improvement, but also reveals the Chinese family, love, friendship, and family and country with a word of "affection". The strong human touch that permeates the whole TV series makes the audience see the life styles of Hong Kong and understand that Hong Kong and the mainland are interlinked.

With the new generation of young people in the tea restaurant entering adulthood, the trend of the story begins to become more open. From childhood, "Give Me Six" walked out of Xiyingpan and grew into an excellent teacher, journalist, police, engineer, investment consultant and angel in white. They continue the excellent quality of the previous generation's striving and enterprising, while receiving better education and having a broader vision, and represent the backbone of Hong Kong's prosperity and development. Through the "first perspective" of young people such as Li Youhao and Luo Zikang, the audience once again reviewed the extraordinary development of Hong Kong since its return to the motherland 25 years ago. The Asian financial crisis in 1998, the SARS epidemic in 2003, the international financial crisis in 2008... Every time we face difficulties and challenges, the mainland of China is always duty bound to help at the critical moment, helping Hong Kong turn crisis into opportunity and tide over difficulties, which has effectively guaranteed the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

It is in the process of closer relations and deepening exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland that a new generation of young people gradually establish a national concept and identity, begin to recognize the important opportunities brought to Hong Kong by the rapid development of the mainland, and actively integrate into the construction of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and the overall national development. In the play, Luo Zikang, Luo Ziliang, Lao Yong'an and other young people went north to pursue their dreams, and the "Like You" tea restaurant also opened branches in Foshan, Zhuhai, Zhongshan and other places. As Liang Huan said at the end of the story, "Returning to the motherland will make Hong Kong stronger." With the strong backing of the motherland, Hong Kong people have a broader space for development and a more solid happy life.

The Story at the foot of Lion Mountain makes the audience see again that Hong Kong's destiny is closely linked to the destiny of the motherland. Any storm will pass, and human fireworks are the most lasting and interesting life. This play is a biography of ordinary people, which makes the audience feel the deep feelings of Hong Kong people's family and country from the fireworks in the market. This is the background and nature of Hong Kong society.

(The author is the vice chairman of China Literary Critics Association and doctoral supervisor of Communication University of China)

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