Hit drama revives spirit of '80s China

Being a college student in the late 1980s, director Sun Hao felt an immediate resonance with the series Xiao Cheng Da Shi (The Dream Maker) when he was invited to helm the TV drama.

Based on writer Zhu Xiaojun's award-winning nonfiction book, Zhongguo Nongmincheng (Chinese Farmers City), the 40-episode series adopts a comedic tone to chronicle the arduous construction of Yuehai, a town built on wetlands without a single yuan of state funding — relying entirely on money raised by its residents.

The story, filled with moving accounts of cadres and locals dedicated to economic development, reminded him of an era defined by vitality and relentless striving.

Published in 2021, Zhu's book draws on interviews with nearly 100 people who witnessed the birth and growth of Longgang, a county-level city administered by Wenzhou, Zhejiang province.