What is the story of "Dingjun Mountain"?

Based on chapters 70 and 71 of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", it tells the story of Liu Bei and Cao Cao's military use during the Three Kingdoms period.

"Dingjun Mountain" is based on Chapters 70 and 71 of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". It tells the story of the military use of Shu and Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. In the 20th year of Jian'an, that is, 215 AD, Cao Cao defeated Hanzhong and sent generals Xia Houyuan, Zhang He and others to stay and garrison troops at the passes of Dingjun Mountain and Tiandang Mountain.

Liu Bei took advantage of Cao Cao's undecided foothold and led his troops into Hanzhong in the same year. After the veteran Huang Zhong defeated Zhang He who was stationed at Tiandang Mountain, he bravely took Dingjun Mountain. After Fa Zheng's guidance, he captured the west of Dingjun Mountain. Xia Houyuan was caught off guard and was cut in half by Huang Zhong, thereby capturing Dingjun Mountain. ?

1905 coincided with Tan Xinpei’s 60th birthday. Ren Qingtai, owner of Fengtai Photo Studio in Beijing, was inspired to make a movie about the Chinese themselves. This year marks 16 years since William Kennedy Dixon invented the movie projector, and 10 years since the Lumiere brothers screened "A Train Arrives at the Station" in Paris.

"Dingjun Mountain" is the first movie shot by the Chinese themselves. Filmed in Beijing Fengtai Photo Studio and screened at Qianmen Grand View Tower, the film is directed by Ren Qingtai and stars Tan Xinpei. The film was released in China (Qing Dynasty) on December 28, 1905, ending the history of no domestic films in China.

The birth process

In 1905, Ren Qingtai, the owner of Beijing Fengtai Photo Studio and Daguanlou Movie Park, lamented that "the films shown were very short in size. Except for comedy films, they only had tricks and "Overseas scenery" inspired me to make films. It coincides with the 60th birthday of Peking Opera veteran performing artist Tan Xinpei, who expressed support for Ren Qingtai's idea.

So Ren Qingtai purchased a French-made wooden shell hand-cranked camera and 14 rolls of film from Qi Luofu Matheson Co., Ltd. in Minxiang, Dongjiao. Liu Zhonglun, a photography technician at Fengtai Photo Studio, was responsible for operating the machine and deleting the singing. Read, focus on performance.

Using daylight in the open air, three clips of Tan Xinpei’s performance of the Peking Opera "Dingjun Mountain" including the "Ying Yao", "Dance of the Knife" and "Confrontation" were filmed, becoming the earliest silent opera documentary short film in China. Tan Xinpei also became China's first performing artist to set foot in the film industry.

In the late 1950s, someone once interviewed Liu Zhongming, an apprentice at Fengtai Photo Studio. According to his recollections, the shooting situation of "Dingjun Mountain" was as follows: "There were two big red columns under the corridor. , hung a white curtain. The house became a temporary living place for Boss Tan, and his followers, piano players, and drummers all came.

In the yard outside the house, there was a so-called "movable box". The camera is placed on the back wall of the front yard. Photographer Liu Zhonglun is responsible for taking pictures. He is the best camera technician in Fengtai.

Although he has practiced several times in the past few days, He still looked a little nervous when he actually went into battle. After the gongs and drums sounded, an ancient military general with a beard and a sword appeared from behind the curtain. This was Old Huang Zhong in Tan Xinpei's most famous "Dingjun Mountain". I saw him. In time with the beat of gongs and drums, he flicked his beard and held the knife horizontally, standing like a pillar.

Hearing someone next to him shout: "Shake it quickly", Liu Zhonglun started shaking it hard. At that time, the film was only there. The 200-foot roll was finished very quickly, and it came to an end. "

"Dingjun Mountain" is a pure opera documentary, which was very suitable for the audience's appreciation needs at the time. After the film was released, it was warmly welcomed and there were crowds in the theaters. It has extremely important and pioneering significance for the development of Chinese films.