Immersive drama blends history, technology, and emotion to retell a city’s red legacy
Chongqing, China — July 24, 2025
Cobblestone steps of Ciqikou twist beneath your feet, waves from the Jialing River echo in your ears, dim lights flicker from stilted houses, and iron prison bars sting your eyes in a dance of shadow and light. For 70 minutes, audience members are pulled back to the eve of liberation in 1949 Chongqing by a 360-degree rotating stage. As the final light fades, applause mingles with quiet sobs. “It felt like I lived through that era myself,” murmured one viewer, wiping away tears. This emotional crescendo is a familiar scene at the conclusion of Chongqing · 1949.
Since its debut in July 2021, this immersive stage production—centered on the spirit of Hongyan, a key revolutionary symbol—has been performed over 2,500 times in its dedicated theater, drawing more than 1.6 million visitors. Blending revolutionary themes with market appeal, and historical depth with modern expression, the show has forged a new path for the integration of culture and tourism.
In an exclusive interview, Song Xiaoping, the show’s chief producer and Chairman of Chongqing Xingya Holding Group, sat down with multiple overseas Chinese media outlets to unveil the heart and strategy behind this theatrical phenomenon.
Song Xiaoping, Chief Producer of Chongqing · 1949 and Chairman of Chongqing Xingya Holding Group
From Collective Memory to Market Sensation: Unlocking the Power of Red IP
“Every Chongqing resident carries a Red Rock story in their heart,” Song shared, referring to the city’s revolutionary legacy. The inspiration behind Chongqing · 1949 was rooted in reverence for this local history. On the eve of liberation, the bustling docks of Ciqikou stood in stark contrast to the silence of Zhazidong prison; underground resistance movements clashed with brutal repression. These moments form the city’s collective memory. “We wanted to make this history come alive—not just something you read in textbooks, but something you can feel and touch.”
That vision struck a chord with the public. In the post-pandemic surge of 2023, the show welcomed 700,000 visitors; 900,000 in 2024; and ticket sales in the first half of 2025 continue to climb. With 3–4 shows daily, and up to 6 during peak periods, every seat is booked via real-name registration. “Behind each ticket is real emotional resonance,” said Song.
What sets Chongqing · 1949 apart in the saturated landscape of revolutionary theater is its use of immersive technology. Its custom-built venue features five 360-degree rotating rings that dissolve the barrier between stage and seating. Naked-eye 3D visuals, dynamic audio-visual effects, and intelligent lighting recreate lifelike scenes—docks, prisons, stilt houses—bringing them within arm’s reach. “These technologies really resonate with younger audiences,” Song noted. Over 70% of the viewers are under 35, many of whom are moved to post reflections online, calling the experience “faith-shaking.”
Chongqing 1949 Grand Theatre
From Local Story to Global Dialogue: Exporting the Spirit of a Heroic City
“Last year we had 30,000 overseas viewers. This year, we surpassed that in the first quarter alone,” said Song. Viewers from Germany, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Laos, and more have experienced Chongqing · 1949, grasping both the city’s revolutionary spirit and its identity as a “heroic city.”
“The rotating stage pulled me through narrow alleyways, with real gunfire ringing in my ears. I felt like I was breathing alongside those chained souls,” wrote Liu Lanling, a journalist from Indonesia’s Qian Dao Daily, at 2:14 a.m. after a show.
This emotional universality comes from the production’s commitment to authenticity. The creative team scoured archives and historical materials to faithfully recreate key figures and events—from the choices of the Lin Zijie brothers to the resistance of martyr Jin Xiu. “Every gunshot, every line of dialogue in this play has a real historical counterpart,” Song emphasized.
International collaboration also strengthens its global appeal. UNESCO-affiliated theater experts consulted on the early design, and Austrian-imported equipment ensures technical excellence. The show’s expression of the Hongyan Spirit—faith, freedom, and resilience—transcends cultural boundaries.
When asked about international touring, Song admitted it would be difficult. “The theater itself is part of the art. We’ve ‘sealed’ 1940s Chongqing into this space.” He explained that the immersive experience depends heavily on its custom environment. “Trying to relocate it would be like moving Ciqikou’s stilted houses elsewhere—the soul would be lost.”
Even so, Chongqing · 1949 has already become a cultural icon. Increasingly, international tourists list it as a must-see—just as Les Misérables is to Paris or Phantom of the Opera is to London.
From Local Story to Global Dialogue: Exporting the Spirit of a Heroic City
“Last year we had 30,000 overseas viewers. This year, we surpassed that in the first quarter alone,” said Song. Viewers from Germany, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Laos, and more have experienced Chongqing · 1949, grasping both the city’s revolutionary spirit and its identity as a “heroic city.”
“The rotating stage pulled me through narrow alleyways, with real gunfire ringing in my ears. I felt like I was breathing alongside those chained souls,” wrote Liu Lanling, a journalist from Indonesia’s Qian Dao Daily, at 2:14 a.m. after a show.
This emotional universality comes from the production’s commitment to authenticity. The creative team scoured archives and historical materials to faithfully recreate key figures and events—from the choices of the Lin Zijie brothers to the resistance of martyr Jin Xiu. “Every gunshot, every line of dialogue in this play has a real historical counterpart,” Song emphasized.
International collaboration also strengthens its global appeal. UNESCO-affiliated theater experts consulted on the early design, and Austrian-imported equipment ensures technical excellence. The show’s expression of the Hongyan Spirit—faith, freedom, and resilience—transcends cultural boundaries.
When asked about international touring, Song admitted it would be difficult. “The theater itself is part of the art. We’ve ‘sealed’ 1940s Chongqing into this space.” He explained that the immersive experience depends heavily on its custom environment. “Trying to relocate it would be like moving Ciqikou’s stilted houses elsewhere—the soul would be lost.”
Even so, Chongqing · 1949 has already become a cultural icon. Increasingly, international tourists list it as a must-see—just as Les Misérables is to Paris or Phantom of the Opera is to London.
Pictured: A scene from Chongqing
· 1949
Rooted in Place, Built on Truth: The Logic Behind the Landmark
“At its core, a cultural tourism project must be grounded in real life and the land it belongs to,” Song summarized. The success of Chongqing · 1949 rests on two principles: telling real stories in the places they happened.
The theater sits in the Ciqikou district, just a few hundred meters from Zhazidong and Baigongguan prisons. “Telling these stories here makes people feel like it happened right next door,” Song explained. This physical proximity gives history a visceral presence.
But the production doesn’t glorify its heroes in an abstract way. Instead, it focuses on human choices—the inner conflicts of the Lin brothers, a mother’s longing for her child in prison, the quiet resistance of ordinary people. These emotional brushstrokes add warmth and realism to the grand narrative.
“The resilience in Chongqing’s character is mirrored in the characters on stage,” said Song. What makes the production a cultural landmark is its ability to tap into the city’s spiritual roots. When tourists eat hotpot in Ciqikou, stroll its ancient alleys, then step into the theater to witness its past, the city’s dual identity—Internet-famous and historically heroic—becomes whole.
At the exit, many linger, gazing at the numbers “1949–2025” on the wall. The dawn long dreamed of by revolutionaries in the darkness has become today’s vibrant reality. And Chongqing · 1949 ensures that hope stays burning.
As Song concluded, “We’re not just performing history—we’re safeguarding memory. So that everyone who enters the theater becomes a living link in the chain of remembrance.”
This visit to the production was part of the “Walking Through China · 2025 Overseas Chinese Media Sichuan-Chongqing Tour,” jointly organized by the Chongqing Municipal Government’s Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs, the Information Office, and Chinese Overseas Friendship Associations in both Chongqing and Sichuan, along with China News Service bureaus in the two provinces. The delegation will continue to visit areas including Zhongxian County, Jiangbei District, Liangjiang New Area, and Shapingba District in Chongqing, as well as Dazhou, Guangyuan, and Chengdu in Sichuan Province—covering topics such as industrial modernization, science and technology innovation, international consumption hubs, cultural tourism, and rural revitalization—telling new stories of the Bashu region through pen and lens.