War-themed films or television dramas are usually serious. But Ding Daming, a 41-episode TV series, is an exception.

The upcoming drama --which began airing on Beijing Satellite TV on March 24 -- employs a comic tune to depict how a farmer in northeastern China transforms into a revolutionary in 1948.

Scriptwriter Lin Heping, known for a string of hits such as Auntie Duohe and Living Pride, says the story reflects ordinary people's fights and courage during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

The TV series was shot in Dandong, in Liaoning province.