"It was in the 18th episode that the first protagonist gave his life. It was 3 am when I read the script, and as I leaned back on the sofa I found myself beginning to cry."

Even though many movies and TV dramas retelling the country's revolutionary history have been produced in China, few have focused on Songmaoling, says Long Pingping, a historian and scriptwriter, who serves as the drama's consultant.

"The battle of Songmaoling was historically significant in that it ensured the strategic shift of 86,000 Red Army soldiers. Without that seven-day-and-night conflict Chinese history may have turned out quite differently. Domestic film and TV productions have portrayed many scenes about the Red Army, but this battle has rarely been covered. We hope the new drama will help more people to know about this significant story."