Among contemporary Chinese writers, Zhou Meisen is a writer with a strong sense of social responsibility and historical mission. He confronts the demands of reality, focuses on the themes of the times, and has created numerous influential political novels. In 2017, the TV series "In the Name of the People," adapted from Zhou Meisen's novel of the same name, was widely acclaimed, demonstrating the immense power of art to confront, alert, and intervene in reality. In 2021, Zhou Meisen continued his courageous exploration of contemporary Chinese social issues and released "The People's Property," a masterpiece of realism. The TV series "People's Property," based on the novel, adheres to the filming concept of "no embellishment of beauty, no concealment of evil," further deepening the ideological content and dissemination value of the main theme of "anti-corruption drama," and contributing new artistic experiences to the development of realistic-themed TV dramas in the new era.

Chinese literature has always had the tradition of "using literature to convey moral principles" and "expressing concerns for the country and the times," emphasizing the realistic involvement and critical function of art. Art should keenly grasp the development of the times and society, and respond to and face the demands of reality. "People's Property" is such a TV series with "anti-corruption by the people" as its narrative core, showcasing the aesthetic power of TV drama through its realistic style that confronts social contradictions.

Since the new century, China has produced a series of representative anti-corruption-themed TV dramas, such as "Loyalty," "Black Hole," "Absolute Power," "Choices," and the phenomenal work "In the Name of the People," which resonate with the demands of the times and the people, projecting the artistic charm of realism in purifying the turbid and uplifting the clear. "People's Property" focuses on anti-corruption in state-owned enterprises, with Qiben'an, the chairman of Jingzhou Zhongfu, as the core figure of the Communist Party members. They adhere to the principles of the Party and their beliefs, defeat the corrupt small group led by Lin Manjiang, eliminate the improper practices within Zhongfu Group, and recover the lost state-owned assets. "People's Property" positively portrays a group of Communist Party members with firm beliefs and positions. The protagonist Qiben'an, Jingzhou Municipal Party Secretary Lu Deguang, Jingzhou Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Li Xuexi, Zhongfu Group Discipline Inspection Commission Zhang Jiying, Jingzhou Energy Company General Manager Niu Junjie, and others resolutely defend the vital interests of the common people and the people's property. They are devoted to the Party and the people, adhere to the working style of serving the people, and shoulder the original aspirations and missions of Communist Party members to "let the people be the masters." At the same time, "People's Property" reveals the ubiquity of social contradictions and the extreme harm of corruption to the country through its exposition of social conflicts. The explosion of the gas pipeline in Jingzhou, which causes the collapse of houses in the miners' new village, the escape of Wang Ping'an, the CEO of Jingzhou Securities, the mysterious disappearance of five hundred million yuan of restructuring funds, and the attention of the miners to the whereabouts of billions of transaction fees behind the massive transactions of Jingfeng and Jingsheng mines, marks the beginning of the anti-corruption struggle within Zhongfu Group. In this "anti-corruption by the people" struggle, there is both the strong desire and personal participation of the vast number of miners, the collective resistance of news workers such as Fan Jiahui, Niu Shiyan, and Qin Xiaochong from the Jingzhou Times, and the indirect connection of the fate of Li Shundong, Qian Rongcheng, Huang Yiqing, and others from the Angel Business Company, depicting the pervasive infiltration of corruption in real life. It once again demonstrates the urgency and necessity of advocating the mission of "anti-corruption by the people" in reality.

The TV series "People's Property," based on the original novel "People's Property" by Zhou Meisen, was published by the Writer's Publishing House in 2021.

"People's Property" confronts social contradictions, focuses on wealth disparity, and takes the anti-corruption struggle as its central theme, directly addressing the anti-corruption demands of the people. It promotes truth, goodness, and beauty while condemning falsehood, evil, and ugliness. It critically reflects on the phenomenon of corruption and creates an atmosphere of "nowhere to hide for corruption" in the fight against corruption by the entire population.

In the film "People's Property" the character images are deeply ingrained in the hearts of the audience, shaping numerous memorable and three-dimensional characters. These character images showcase the diverse facets of human nature throughout the development of the story, becoming even more vivid and lively through specific and rich details.

"People's Property" focuses on the character development of Qi Ben'an, Lin Manjiang, and Shi Hongxing, all of whom are orphaned miners raised under the care of model worker Cheng Duanyang. However, their life choices and destinies take drastically different paths.

Lin Manjiang is bold and ambitious, willing to go to extremes to secure the title of model worker, even contemplating murder with a triangular scraper. His strong desire for power leads him to act selfishly, disregarding party discipline and national laws. He becomes a prisoner of materialism, ultimately betraying the trust of the Party and the nation, and becoming a criminal in the eyes of history and the people.

Shi Hongxing, as Lin Manjiang's junior sister, depends on him in her career. Her near-obsessive admiration for Lin Manjiang causes her to deviate from party principles and her initial intention to serve the people, turning her into Lin Manjiang's corrupt tool.

Qi Ben'an, whom Lin Manjiang considers an "idealist who has not been tested by power," someone who "values principles over emotions" and "is too discerning to work effectively, even causing harm," is a person of integrity. In the drama, he is placed in multiple roles as a Communist Party member, a corporate executive, and a miner's child, shaping his character traits and charismatic personality. His image embodies qualities such as loyalty to the Party, unwavering commitment to truth, integrity, and selfless dedication to the people. These character traits are presented through his firm adherence to party principles in dealing with Lin Manjiang's corruption, his tenacious resistance against Lin Manjiang's suppression, and his voluntary responsibility for the reconstruction of the shantytown after being dismissed by Lin Manjiang.

The drama also showcases numerous characters with distinctive personalities. For example, Cheng Duanyang, a retired model worker from the Jingzhou Mining Machinery Factory, who raised three apprentices with great hardship and advised his son to surrender, proving himself worthy of the Party's nurturing. Retired worker Qin Jiancha leaves a deep impression on the audience, showing understanding and goodwill towards the government, believing that the government faces difficulties and should not be taken advantage of. He always maintains an understanding attitude towards the government and maintains a kind-hearted and optimistic outlook.

In addition, there are characters such as Pi Dan, a carefree official who spends his days speculating on real estate; Lu Jianshe, who is solely focused on climbing the ranks and getting rich; the straightforward and hot-tempered Niu Junjie; the positive and energetic media workers Niu Shiyan and Qin Xiaochong; as well as young individuals like Lin Xiaowei and Lv Jiajia, who bravely shoulder their responsibilities. These characters allow the audience to become emotionally involved in the plot development, following their joys and sorrows.

The creators also attempted to incorporate more elements of human nature to evoke emotional resonance among the audience. The drama leaves a deep impression with its portrayal of significant emotional relationships, such as the bond between the retired model worker Cheng Duanyang and Lin Manjiang, Shi Hongxing, and Qi Ben'an's familial connection, Qin Xiaochong's father-daughter relationship with Weiwei, Li Shundong's love for Niu Shiyan, and the marital relationship between Shi Hongxing and Niu Junjie. Among them, Shi Hongxing's tragic emotional story is particularly moving.

Shi Hongxing, who has idolized her senior brother Lin Manjiang since childhood, impulsively marries out of spite after her love confession to Lin Manjiang fails. She loses her sense of self in her marriage and deviates from party principles in her career. Step by step, she becomes an indirect participant in Lin Manjiang's group that siphons off the people's assets. After seeing Lin Manjiang's true nature, she jumps into the river in regret and despair. This poignant and lamentable story unfolds within the intense and brutal context of the anti-corruption struggle, showcasing unique emotional states of human nature and expanding the artistic depth of the characters' human elements.

Corruption is a significant event that affects the fate and future of the Party, the country, and the people. The anti-corruption narrative in "People's Property" is presented in a realistic and grand narrative style. At the same time, the drama incorporates popular elements to cater to the aesthetic interests and viewing preferences of the audience, making the plot intriguing and captivating. The fusion of these elements creates an aesthetic style that is both refined and popular, allowing the audience to appreciate the depth of the storytelling while enjoying the twists and turns of the plot.

"People's Property" revolves around the challenging task of the five hundred million yuan renovation funds for the miners' new village and the whereabouts of the one billion transaction fees generated from the mineral trade between Zhongfu Group and Changming Group. It showcases a thrilling struggle between corrupt forces and anti-corruption efforts, sparking the curiosity and desire for truth exploration among the audience. The drama fully explores the dramatic elements of the anti-corruption and anti-crime battles, focusing on real-life issues and seamlessly integrating elements of suspense, crime, ethics, and romance. This results in a tense and intense plot with complex and ever-changing character relationships, further stimulating the audience's interest in watching the drama.

"People's Property" cleverly sets up suspense, effectively serving the purpose of regulating and creating an atmosphere. It portrays the struggle between the anti-corruption camp, represented by Qi Ben'an, Niu Junjie, Zhang Jiying, and Xu Changqing, and the corrupt and evil figures such as Lin Manjiang, Fu Changming, Pi Dan, Wang Ping'an, Mao Liu, and Mao Qi. It also indirectly showcases the multiple power struggles within the anti-corruption efforts. For instance, how did the five hundred million yuan special funds for the renovation of the shantytown become a debt owed to a private debt collection company? How were the ten billion yuan transaction fees generated from the high purchase and low sale of minerals? Besides the business dealings between Lin Manjiang and Fu Changming's Jingfeng and Jingsheng mines, are there other vested interests leading to the massive loss of state-owned assets? What kind of emotional relationship exists between Shi Hongxing and Lin Manjiang, and how did she gradually become a tool for Lin Manjiang's corruption and embezzlement? Can Qin Xiaochong, the journalist from "Jingzhou Times," clear his name and rebuild his family? Who is the whistleblower known as "Deep Throat"? In designing these tense, thrilling, and emotionally touching plotlines, "People's Property" also interweaves serious contemplation of issues such as human beliefs and missions, responsibilities and commitments, human nature and ethics, further enhancing the work's intellectual depth and humanistic sentiments.

The highlight of the narrative art in "People's Property" lies in the intertwining of two main and sub-plotlines that traverse time and space. The former depicts the ongoing internal anti-corruption struggle within the Zhongfu Group, while the latter traces the historical development of the Zhongfu Group throughout the course of history. This construction of a deep historical context expands the television drama's historical perspective and deepens the spiritual connotation of the anti-corruption genre through a dialogue between reality and history.

Zhou Meisen

In "People's Property" the history of the Zhongfu Group can be traced back to the early 1930s when the Chinese revolution entered a low tide, and a large number of communists were arrested and sacrificed. Communist organizations were established in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jingzhou, and other places to raise funds for party activities. Shanghai Fuji Company was funded and founded by communist couple Zhu Changping and Xie Yingzi from Jingzhou. After eighty years of painstaking operation and hardships, it has achieved its current success. In stark contrast, the current leader of the Zhongfu Group, Lin Manjiang, has long forgotten the faith and loyalty of the communist predecessors, provoking deep reflection through a vivid comparison of the past and present. In Episode 14, when Lin Manjiang arbitrarily uses a Dodge car to send Li Gongquan to trial and bring him back to Beijing for investigation, it reminds Qi Ben'an of the story of the group's founder Zhu Changping selling his ancestral home at a low price to rescue Liu Bicheng, the Communist Party Secretary of the Handong Province. In Episode 23, when Lin Manjiang nominates Lu Jianshe as the Deputy Party Secretary of Zhongfu Group in Jingzhou to restrain Qi Ben'an, the drama recounts how, following the party's instructions, Zhu Changping fully contributed all the money from the Hong Kong Fuji Company, not even leaving a penny, to be used for retreat and the cost of transferring cultural celebrities. Xie Yingzi didn't even have money for her child's milk powder and fainted from hunger next to her child's cradle. In Episode 30, there is a retrospective of the history of the Jinglong Mine, describing how Dong Wanjun's Jinglong Mine was occupied by the Kuomintang's Military Statistics Bureau, and the Kuomintang's takeover of the occupied areas stirred up public anger and led to the end of their regime due to extreme corruption. This serves as a warning about the importance of anti-corruption efforts today. In Episode 41, as the establishment of the People's Republic of China approaches, the party member shareholders of Fuji Company decide to hand over all their shares as "special party fees" to the future new China, while the corrupt group led by Lin Manjiang continues to struggle on the brink of doomsday, disregarding the law of the country. By illuminating reality through a historical lens and deepening history through reality, this innovative artistic form deepens the spiritual connotation of the anti-corruption genre: only with clean and honest governance can trust be gained from the people, and upholding fairness and justice can win hearts; the construction of party conduct, clean governance, and the fight against corruption is an important guarantee for our party to always maintain an invincible position.

Art is the child of the times, and the artistic power and strong communicative ability of television dramas, like gentle rain and nourishing dew, bear the political mission of depicting the era, nurturing society, and educating the people. "People's Property" has evoked emotional resonance among the audience through its exposure and critique of anti-corruption efforts in state-owned enterprises. Its popular creative techniques have also ignited the audience's enthusiasm for watching, demonstrating the artistic vitality and broad development prospects of realistic-themed TV dramas. At the same time, it inspires literary and artistic workers to bravely face real-world issues, resist the impact of mass culture and consumer culture, shoulder responsibilities, morality, and aesthetic consciousness, and create more "thought-provoking, artistically exquisite, and well-produced" artistic masterpieces.

Photo |

Editing by | Tian Mingyue

Proofreading | Song Song