Joe
From NetEase:
A Visit to a Mine Warfare-Themed Red Tourism Site
In 1962, to promote the spirit of the war of resistance [against Japan], the Communist Party made the movie Mine Warfare [alternatively, Landmine War] in Shandong province Haiyang city, and this event became widely known. Following the gradual rise in Red Tourism [tourism involving themes of Chinese Communist historical narratives] in recent years, Haiyang local authorities invested a large amount of resources into building a Mine Warfare-themed tourism spot, and at the same time employed large numbers of actors to “recreate/reenact” scenes from the Mine Warfare movie, in order to attract tourists and develop the local economy.
This mine warfare scenic spot is located 10km from the city of Haiyang, and occupies a total area of 1000 acres, with investment totaling 270 million RMB. The scenic area was successively chosen as the “Yantai City Patriotic Education Site”, “ Youth Education Site”, “Party Cadre Training Site”, and “Shandong Province Tourism and Film Site”.
In 2013, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs invested 2.8 billion RMB to construct [Communist] revolutionary memorials and facilities, to kindle the flames of patriotic tourism, and to foster “Red Spirit” [Chinese Communist spirit] in the people–especially the younger generation. In the meantime, in Shandong Haiyang, home of the mine warfare incident, Red Tourism and War of Resistance Against the Japanese stage performances have already have gone on for five years. Photo is of 2014 July, the newly built Mine Warfare wax museum, with Haiyang city government’s heavily developed wind farm project in the background.
Also from 2014 July, the newly-built Mine Warfare memorial.
The scenic area has a total of 40 houses, with most modeled to resemble the War of Resistance era, and propaganda cartoons or slogans covering the walls. Photo is of a “War of Resistance against Japan slogan” that can be seen everywhere.
Xu Le is the leader of the stage performance troupe, managing over 20 “actors”. Most of these actors aren’t professionals, with the men mostly coming from martial arts academies in Shandong, Hebei, and Henan. Photo is of Xu Le performing “martial arts” for a child of one of the extras.
Every month these “professional actors” can receive 3000 to 4000 RMB, and the youngest among them is only 16 years old. Photo is of Zhu Shi and his buddies smoking under the canopy of a rental rickshaw. They were all born in 1998, and are just 16 years old this year.
The lady with dyed red hair, Ms. Dong, takes attendance of the extras before the performance. These extras are aunties and uncles recruited from surrounding villages, who after being hired as extras must undergo some basic acting training. After they successfully complete registration, every extra can receive 10 RMB for two performances every day.
During the performance, to enhance the stage effects, actors use wires and other professional equipment, allowing the “Red Army” militia soldiers to fly in mid-air and attack the enemy. The performance often has scenes such as fighting the enemy empty-handed, or one person versus three enemies, as if one has entered an one of those absurd War of Resistance Against Japan television serials. Photo is of a member of the “Red Army” becoming a flying man.
Something that only appears in those absurd War of Resistance Against Japan TV serial dramas, a “Red Army” militia soldier takes flight in a fight against the enemy.
After a “Red Army” warrior completes a series of feats only seen in “Wuxia films”, the “Japanese devils” and “puppet army” [Collaborationist Chinese Army] all fall to the ground.
In the performance, the “Japanese devil” commander can never seem to hit the “Red Army” militia soldier who “can fly”, his pathetic attempts inciting laughter from the audience.
The explosion scenes and the tension of the “Japanese devils” entering the village led parents to covering their children’s ears.
Scenes of one person taking on three empty-handed or with just a stick were frequently seen in the performance.
Xu Le’s protagonist sends a “Japanese devil” flying with a kick. He is the manager of the performance troupe, and because he had come from a martial arts school, his kung fu [martial arts] is actually quite good.
The “Japanese devils” utterly defeated by the unarmed “Red Army”.
During the show, a village woman attacks a “Japanese devil” with a broom.
During the show, a “village woman” steps on a shovel, striking a “Japanese devil’s” weak spot.
A member of the audience yawning in the stands.
Righteousness prevails over evil, as the “Red Army” steps on the “Japanese devils”, striking a heroic pose.
Other than being used as a prop in the performance, a horse is made available to the audience for group photos after the show. A picture costs 20 RMB during peak season, but is 10 RMB during low season.
After the show ended, an excited member of the audience finds Young Sun who played the “Chinese Traitor”, and happily takes a photo together.
The Type-38 rifle used during the performance. The trigger is replaced by a button that creates smoke and other sound effects.
After the performance, both the “Japanese devils” and “villagers” sit together on the ground to chat.
Normally, there’s an a morning and afternoon show. If a tour group dines at the East is Red-themed restaurant, the “professional actors” will also go to the restaurant to perform red-themed [Chinese Communist] stage plays. Photo is of the “East is Red” main stage. Every time there is a tour group, Xu Le and his troupe have to perform red-themed stage plays here.
A promotional poster for the ”Mine Warfare-Themed Restaurant” red stage play.
Before a meal and as the manager of the performance troupe, Xu Le has to take attendance, and only afterward can everyone eat.
After lunch, Old Li brings a fishing rod to fish by the river. He is from Shandong province Heze city, and was also martial arts school student.
Young Guo was injured a month ago while playing the role of a puppet army soldier, and is still recuperating from his injuries. Xu Le says it’s still a very tough job, and that injuries are a common occurrence.
Young Sun who plays the role of a Chinese traitor is from Heze. Here he leans over a bicycle joking around with his wife. Young Sun came to this scenic area five years ago, where he met his current wife, and the two of them already have a 3-year-old child.
Tian Ye from Sichuan province rests on a hammock. He has previously worked as a performer and stuntman, and came to perform in Mine Warfare because of the stable salary here.
Young Yang from Hebei province listens to music by himself. He is introverted and likes to be by himself. He’s been here for half a month now, and plays the role of a “Japanese devil”.
Zhu Shuai from Zaozhuang city Tengzhou county (2nd on the right) plays cards with the other actors. He is 16 years old. Zhu Shuai says, “What’s the use of going to school? I once took a math test and got all 24 multiple-choice problems wrong.”
In the actors’ dormitory, where to one side of a long hallway are the actors’ rooms.
The most famous “Zhen Yao Stone” [“expel evil stone”] from the movie Mine Warfare is placed along the road to the scenic area.
In the Mine Warfare wax museum, tour guide Mr. Wang explained that the “Japanese devils” were so tormented by the mine warfare that they began hallucinating, seeing the “Zhen Yao Stone” as a huge land mine [A scene in the movie].
In the wax museum, a wax Japanese soldier with his arm blown off lies on the ground.
In the scenic area, the trash can is a “Japanese devil” hugging a landmine.
In the scenic area, there are small souvenir items related to Mine Warfare, and reprints of the first edition of the Mine Warfare graphic novel, costing 15 RMB.
In front of the ticketing office hangs signs [indicating that this attraction is a] “Classic Chinese Red Tourism Location” and “Chinese Youth Education Site”.
Comments on NetEase:
琴音祖宗 [网易山东省日照市手机网友]：
When I was young I quite hated Chiang Kai-shek, but after I grew up I discovered that I hate him even more!
网易湖南省长沙市手机网友：
All kinds of stupid cunts.
网易澳门手机网友：
Please respect history.
新罗夫人主治医师 [网易江苏省扬州市网友]：
Mine Warfare killed 80 enemies, with a loss of 3000, so what the fuck are they boasting about? All the people who do not know the truth have been scammed to hell!
网易湖南省长沙市网友：
The Nobel Prize should add a category for mental masturbation!!
耍猴先生 [网易黑龙江省齐齐哈尔市手机网友]：
If the Japanese devils were so weak, how did they invade/occupy China in the first place?
人民勤务员 [网易山东省青岛市手机网友]：
As I lean on the balcony railing of an apartment that costs 70k per square meter smoking a cigarette, my head is filled with a myriad of thoughts. Just what do people live for? For money? Power? And once you have money and power, then what? At this moment, a beautiful lady walked up behind me and said: “Mister, here is the 200 kuai for unclogging the toilet.
网易浙江省温州市手机网友：
Japan invest its money in education, while we also invest money in “education”. The results are clear.
祯祯帅uyre [网易江西省手机网友]：
This Mine Warefare whatever is nothing compared to ripping Japanese devils apart bare-handed.
网易安徽省合肥市手机网友：
Looks like the Japanese suffered a lot in China back then! How the fuck was this an invasion? This was simply being tortured.
网易江苏省泰州市网友 [女主播的嘴巴都含过鸟] 的原贴：
For there to be so many stupid cunts from Shandong, it truly is a wonder.
网易广东省深圳市手机网友：
Chinese fantasizng village.
丿Mu丨灬悲伤xirn [网易浙江省台州市手机网友]：
Japanese Devils ripped apart bare-handed, can it win a Hollywood Oscar for best sci-fi?
科技板常驻人口 [网易广西南宁市手机网友]：
Educating the future generation by making war into a game, they will all turn into idiots… This is simply leading young people astray.
ff5d5674d7f8b293564cc2d8 [网易湖北省手机网友]：
8 out of 10 channels on TV broadcasts serials about fighting Japanese devils. The moment I turn on the TV, I have to instantly turn it off.
72 Comments
Leave a Reply