Source: CRIENGLISH.com

04-15-2009 16:02

China's College Entrance Examination, known as 'Gaokao' has been the most competitive test for Chinese students. However, it was even more critically fate changing for the educated youth more than thirty years ago in 1977, when China resumed this system after a ten-year-long Cultural Revolution.

"Restoring Gaokao is much more important than Gaokao itself!' That's also the resonating story line in the newly released Jiang Haiyang's film 'Examination 1977.'

A still from Jiang Haiyang's film 'Examination 1977' starring veteran actor Wang Xuebing, Sun Haiying, Zhou Xianxin and Zhao Youliang. [Photo: gb.cri.cn]

According to records, more than 5.7 million Chinese people aged from 15 to 36 sat the exam that year. It changed the lives of many who went on to achieve greatness in various fields.

Against a backdrop of the cold wilderness of northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province in the 1970s, the film highlights the struggles and pursuit of many 'Zhiqing', literally the educated young people sent to the countryside for re-education during the Cultural Revolution that broke out in 1966. It follows their desperate efforts to escape and return to schooling in urban cities through Gaokao, the first examination system restored in 1977, after its abolishment in 1966.

Dubbed as the common people's epic film, 'Examination 1977' is a real tear-jerker and has garnered box office receipts of about five million yuan in the first four days after its premiere on April 3. The following word-of-mouth buzz is drawing large audiences and many people are still pouring into theaters to see it.

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