January 7, 2021

Battle of Changsha | Recap and Review

Battle of Changsha
The war in the eyes of a sixteen year old girl. 
Notable Actors/Actresses
Wallace HuoGu Qing Ming
Yang ZiHu Xiang Xiang
Scriptwriter
Chinese Title
戰長沙
Year2014
Episodes: 32
Recap Grade: B


Character Setup

Gu Qing Ming is a rich boy who came back from studying in Germany to join the front lines but his father won't let him. He's their family's only son. He has immense powers as a soldier but he can only watch the war from the side. According to Xue Jun Shan, Gu Qing Min's patriotism and righteousness (and wealthiness) makes him the perfect candidate for Xiang Xiang's future husband. 
Xue Jun Shan is an officer in the Public Safety's Department of Changsha. He is an expert in making connections. His wife is Hu Xiang Jun. They have a newborn: Ping An (which means 'Safe'). Because of the ongoing war, Xue Jun Shan offers his home for his in-laws to live together in. Hu Xiang Jun's father had always looked down on Xue Jun Shan. The dad had wanted Xiang Jun to marry her cousin (Liu Ming Han) instead because he’s righteous, honest, upright, and sincere. Basically everything that isn’t Xue Jun Shan. However, Xue Jun Shan is still the breadwinner of the entire family and willingly cares for them.
Hu Xiang Xiang is Xiang Jun’s sister and therefore Xue Jun Shan’s brother-in-law. She’s outspoken and rebellious. She’s got a good heart but can be annoyingly reckless at times. 
Hu Xiang Jiang, mostly known as Xiao Man (his nickname) is Xiang Xiang’s twin brother. He’s a tiny bit less reckless than Xiang Xiang but he’s also not as smart as her making him dumb and reckless. The things he does make me shake my head almost all the time. He has a one sided crush on Jin Feng (who’s a nurse). Meanwhile, Lin Ming Han's little sister, Liu Xiu Xiu has a one-sided crush on him.
There’s romance between Xiang Xiang and Gu Qing Ming. Xue Jun Shan is their cupid. Initially, Xiang Xiang acted all smart in front of Gu Qing Ming. He may or may not have been impressed. It didn't matter to him because he wasn't interested in marriage in the first place. He wants to save the country. His indifference made Xiang Xiang angry and that begins their love story. I do think she fell in love with him at first sight. 

Mini Recaps

[Ep7] Grandmother Hu won’t leave Changsha even when it’s about to be burned. She refuses to return to her hometown. A little background on her: as a single mother who raised her son (Hu Chang Ning)

[Ep8] Changsha is burning down. The city is falling. Everyone is on the run. 

[Ep9] Shen Cheng Zhi (Xiang Xiang’s fiancé whom she ran away from) dies in the fire. His father holds onto his body that’s no longer breathing. Grief has overtaken him. The father dies with his son in the smoke. 
Xue Jun Shan stays behind to save everyone he can. Dead or alive, he carries each body to safety. However, the wall falls over him engulfing him entirely in the rubble. Very very very surprised at Xue Jun Shan’s heroism

Doctor Liu (Liu Ming Han) operates on Xue Jun Shan. For a second, I was scared he wouldn’t save Xue Jun Shan but he is a good doctor through and through. Immediately after the surgery, Xue Jun Shan is arrested. His entire department (public safety) is charged with arson for putting Changsha in ruins. 

Xiang Xiang’s family returns to Changsha. Everything is in ruins. There’s no economy. There’s barely any food. Luckily, Xue Jun Shan had stored lots of rice. However, Xue Jun Shan is locked up because he's suspected of starting the fire to destroy Changsha, Hu Dad realizes how tough it is to support the family. Serves him right for belittling Xue Jun Shan all the time.

[Ep10]  Xiang Xiang begs Gu Qing Ming to help free Xue Jun Shan. She is even willing to give her body to save her brother-in-law. She starts to unbutton her dress. Gu Qing Ming kicks her out of his car. He drives off leaving her on the streets. It’s an utter embarrassment to Xiang Xiang. If Gu Qing Ming didn’t care about her, he wouldn’t even talk to her

Gu Qing Ming gives his testimony. He’s only saying the truth but because he even testified and the fact that his words are worth more than gold, Xue Jun Shan is released. However, he’s assigned to the front lines. 

Before Xue Jun Shan leaves, he teaches the twins how to take care of the family. Aw. He also teaches Xiang Xiang how to seduce Gu Qing Ming. LOL. He tells her to pretend to be pitiful but she still must be sweet, "Oh and make sure to call his name, not Officer Gu but Gu Qing Ming." Xue Jun Shan reminds her that this trick will only work on Gu Qing Ming. Haha. I also love that Xue Jun Shan is the only one who notices that Xiang Xiang is in a heartbreak because of Guo Qing Ming. Such a good brother-in-law. It was worth it for Xiang Xiang to go through all that for him

[Ep11] Xiao Man runs away from home because he doesn’t want to marry Xiu Xiu like his family wishes. He has a crush (Jin Feng) he’s absolutely faithful to. 

Xiang Xiang sneaks into Gu Qing Ming’s car to find her brother. They find Xiao Man and he’s kept hostage by Japanese men. Gu Qing Ming saves him. A poor woman dies though and I can’t help but blame Xiao Man’s immaturity
Bromance begins with Gu Qing Ming and Xue Jun Shan

[Ep13] Grandfather Hu forces the twins to marry within the family (cousins, second cousins, etc) to strengthen the family business. I don’t get it. Gramps doesn't care about Xiang Xiang's opinion because she's a girl. Omg Grandmother Hu leaving was the best decision ever (by the way grandmother and grandfather Hu are more like brother-in-law and sister-in-law). The twins run away right onto a field of land mines. Xiao Man calls if a bluff but Xiang Xiang freezes on the spot. She stepped on one.
[Ep14] Romance begins! Gu Qing Ming happens happens! to be in the area and removes her from the landmine. Xiang Xiang gives him a big tearful hug in front of everyone. It causes a spectacle. Xiao Man whispers to his sister to remind her about her dignity. 

Gu Qing Ming promises Xiang Xiang to take her back to Changsha but the military order is to send her back home to Grandfather Hu (because the soldiers need his rice stock), Gu Qing Ming succumbs. Xiang Xiang is furious at him. He vows that he will act on his promise of helping her escape the marriage. His solution: he offers himself to be a groom candidate. This whole wedding stuff is on halt when news of one of Grandfather Hu’s grandson died in war. 

[Ep15] Xiang Shui (the younger brother of the grandson who died in war) sacrifices himself to oust the Japanese spies. He bravely leads them to the landmines where Xiang Xiang was. His death is a heroic one. This motivates Xiang Xiang to grow up and aspire to help the country. She applies to be a nurse.

[Ep16] Gu Qing Ming begrudgingly and passively accepts being called brother-in-law by Xiang Ping (Xiang Xiang’s cousin). Pft. They’ve barely reciprocated their feelings and family is already egging then on. Xiang Ping wanted Gu Qing Ming's help to apply for the army. Grandfather Hu is against it. 

Xue Jun Shan plays a trick on Gu Qing Ming making him think that he can finally go on the front lines. Xue Jun Shan also doesn’t want Gu Qing Ming fighting in war. He can’t let Xiang Xiang be a widow. Awww. But. What about you, Xue Jun Shan! 

[Ep17] Xue Jun Shan barely survives the battle against the enemies. It was a pretty close call and he had to hide within the enemy territory for days. Xiang Xiang’s family have no idea if he’s dead or alive. Fortunately he returns home and the first thing he sees is his wife and Liu Ming Han coming out of the same room, his wife is also in pyjamas. Xue Jun Shan doesn’t lost control immediately. Instead he chooses to send his wife to a far village where his family is. When he’s free he’ll pick her up again. Xiang Jun translates this as her not being allowed to come back home unless he picks her up. She willingly leaves at his request. Ack. I can’t blame the man. He came back from hell and sees his wife coming out of her room in pyjamas with a man he knew she had loved and perhaps secretly loves. It’s only after he sends her away does he realize she’s pregnant with his child but before he can chase her back, he’s called to duty. As Xiang Jun is on her way to the village, Japanese troops are in the area. She was afraid Ping An would make a noise so she clasps tightly onto his mouth so tight Ping An’s body goes limp in her arms. Ping An stops breathing. OMG. The shock of killing her own son was too big that she suffers a miscarriage. She returns back home to Hu family but her memories of losing Ping An are gone. She’s amnesic. She thinks Ping An is still alive. Meanwhile the battle is won against the Japanese. Everyone is celebrating a victory but Hu Family is mourning the death of the youngest member in their family. Two deaths, if you count the fetus. 
[Ep18]  Xue Jun Shan committed the sin and he will take responsibility for it. After suffering the miscarriage, Xiang Jun can no longer conceive, which means Xue Jun Shan can no longer continue his line. He has every right to find a new wife absolutely common and understandable at those times but he doesn’t. He won’t. He will also continue to support Hu Family. He truly loves Xiang Jun. He’s a remarkable man through and through

Xue Jun Shan is back to normal being a Cupid lol. I reallly appreciate it when a drama finds a way to weave back into being light after such a heavy segment. He guilt trips Gu Qing Ming into supporting the Hu Family with him.

The romance between Gu Qing Ming and Xiang Xiang has somehow arrived to the point where he needs to explain himself when he has dinner with another woman. Xiang Xiang is so upset she’s crying. Gu Qing Ming is struggling to explain the lady is just his sister. He gives her a handkerchief for her tears. I laughed at the expression he made when she blew her snot in it. He also tells her that he “too” agreed to give his first born to Xue Jun Shan as his child. Xiang Xiang turns shy and walks away. These two are talking about babies already. However, he updates her that he’s leaving the city the day after tomorrow to another war zone. Xiang Xiang can’t hide her disappointment. She complains he didn’t tell her earlier. He reminds her that every time he wanted to talk to her, she ran away. 
The next day Gu Qing Ming visits the hospital Xiang Xiang is at. I’m surprised at how responsible Xiang Xiang has become from that reckless girl she was. He doesn’t see her and leaves. Xiang Xiang runs out to catch him but his car is out of sight. 

But he’s back! 

Xiang Xiang: Be safe. 
Gu Qing Ming: I know. 
Xiang Xiang: Then I’m going to go back. 
Gu Qing Ming pulls her back for a hug. She hugs tighter and so does he. 
Xiang Xiang: Write letters to me 
Gu Qing Ming: I will write letters to you every single day 
Xiang Xiang: When will you return 
Gu Qing Ming: When we win. 

[Ep19] Xiang Xiang is off site to save other soldiers with another nurse. For a short moment, she's able to reunite with Gu Qing Ming. There are still enemy soldiers nearby so Gu Qing Ming tells her to leave first. After hearing a few ominous bangs, Xiang Xiang runs back to him. The head nurse chases after her and takes the gun shot aimed at Xiang Xiang. Gu Qing Ming is also injured while protecting her. Omg Xiang Xiang, what are you doing!! 
Gu Qing Ming is okay. The nurse is not :(. To not hog the hospital bed, Xiang Xiang takes him home to tend to his wounds. He's afraid of encumbering her entire family. He doesn't want to owe her so much. In contrast, Xiang Xiang wants him to owe her forever. He is hers; his whole body is hers. 

[Ep20] Gu Qing Ming isn't so confident about winning the war anymore. He realizes he can't give much promise to Xiang Xiang. He doesn't want her to be a widow for him. It's a breakup. Xiang Xiang won't allow it. She pleads him to not give up on her. They can fight together. Her tears and words have moved him. Gu Qing Ming apologizes and hugs her. 

Mao Mao is adopted into the family. He's the kid Xiang Xiang and that nurse (omg that nurse) found on the field. Upon seeing Mao Mao, Xiang Jun immediately calls him her Ping An. 

There's Japanese soldiers on the street. Xiang Xiang is with Mao Mao. She stuffs him in the hole that connects to the hospital to keep him safe meanwhile Xiang Xiang is still in danger on the other side. I feel so bad for the kid. He already lost his mother and now he has to watch another guardian sacrifice for him. Fortunately, Gu Qing Ming saves her. 
[Ep21] Xue Jun Shan wasn't able to accept Mao Mao as Ping An. When the kid ends up lost and into his training site, he cries and opens his arms for "Dad" but Xue Jun Shan turns away. Seconds later, he turns right around. Yes! Once he lifts up Mao Mao, he immediately stops crying. Awwwww.

Gu Qing Ming cutely calls Xiang Xiang's family in-laws in front of Xue Jun Shan.

[Ep22] Xue Jun Shan wants to keep Mao Mao but he needs to make sure Mao Mao is truly an orphan and not a child who has parents still alive. Such a good man. So thorough. It was absolutely adorable how he confirmed Mao Mao was an orphan. A soldier had wanted to take Mao Mao as his own son because he's comrades with his father but Xue Jun Shan is like Naaah, dude. I got this.

Although Xue Jun Shan accepts Mao Mao, he hasn't forgotten about Ping An. Omg. He assures the Ping An in his heart that he'll always remember him. Aw

Gu Qing Ming's father forces Xiang Xiang to convince his son to withdraw from the battles. Xiang Xiang politely refuses. She knows Gu Qing Ming wants to be on the fields. It's a respectful conversation. She really has grown up. Gu Qing Ming was waiting for Xiang Xiang outside. He knew she could handle his father. 

[Ep23] Xiang Xiang gives a red string as a bracelet to Gu Qing Ming for his safety. 

Xue Jun Shan is in the trenches. War isn't looking very pretty. Lately, he keeps dreaming of Ping An... 

[Ep24] Xue Jun Shan dies. Before he dies he destroys an important battle site of their enemy. Those Ping An dreams were foretelling his death. Such a good man. I cried a lot for his death.

[Ep25] Although Xue Jun Shan had forced Xiang Jun to marry him, she knows that no one is better than him. She regrets not telling him that. Xiang Jung is back to her senses. She no longer wants to pretend in front of her parents. She wants to die... Grandmother senses this and gives her all her remaining dowry. She apologizes to Xiang Jun for not giving her much. Xiang Jun was always the granddaughter she never had to worry about. And fate has it that Xiang Jun has such a difficult life. One child, one fetus, and her husband. I think Grandmother managed to convince Xiang Jun to live on. 

There's a surprise marriage in the hospital. Xiang Xiang is the recipient of this impromptu marriage. Gu Qing Ming doesn't want to waste their precious time anymore. It's a small attendance but as long as these two are married, it's all that matters. 

Without Xue Jun Shan providing for the family, Xiao Man feels the immense pressure. Xiao Hei convinces him to sell the house deed to invest in his business. 

[Ep26] Xiang Jun now works at the orphanage. The place is set on fire. She runs back in to save a child.

[Ep27] Xiang Xiang is pregnant. 

Xiao Hei's business fails. He runs away. The loan-sharks are here to collect the house. Eventually, Gu Qing Ming settles it. He tells this loan-shark (Wang Hu Zi) that if he has the money he should be supporting the country and not taking advantage when the city is crumbling.

After four battles, Changsha is lost to Japan. 

[Ep28] Hu Family flees to Grandfather. Together they hide in the cave. Grandfather was supposed to burn the rice field but he thought it was pity so he left it be. Unfortunately, the rice is feeding the Japanese army. Hu Family returns to Changsha to find Xiang Jun who is still working at the orphanage. They learn that she has passed away. While running away from the Japanese, she jumped into the water and died. 

Xiao Hei is a traitor and is now loyal to the Japanese. He recommends Liu Ming Han to the Japanese. Liu Ming Han is forced to accept working for them; it's the condition to keep the rest of Hu Family safe.

Xiang Xiang had given birth. The name of her child is Nian Qin. 

For the first time, our twins are separated. Xiang Xiang leaves with Gu Qing Ming's sister to their city (because Changsha is no longer safe). Xiao Man was supposed to leave too but he doesn't get on the boat with her. He wants to stay with the rest of the family who have chosen to stay. 

Jin Feng (the nurse) plans an attack to kill the Japanese General who has taken over the hospital. It's successful she kills him but so many hospital staff die with her. So sad

Xiao Hei is still creeping on Liu Xiu Xiu. He threatens Father Hu to be faithful to the Japanese. 

[Ep29] Father Hu laments on the death of the tree in their home. He mulls that he wants to plant a new tree next spring. Hu Family is down to Grandmother, Father Hu, and Mother Hu (who's deathly ill). He has breakfast with Grandmother and it's the first time he picked food for her. He apologizes to Grandmother Hu for being unfilial. Does that mean he's going to be a traitor (Xiao Hei keeps convincing him to). 
[Ep30] Grandmother Hu sends his son off to the church that's now owned by the Japanese. Her expression is complicated. At the church, Father Hu starts singing Chinese opera, the lyrics are all about the Japanese invasion and the Chinese heroes. Everyone's cheering. The Japanese generals are slow to realize but they eventually get it. With one shot, Father Hu is down on the ground. Omg. Grandmother Hu knew her son wasn't going to succumb. Father Hu continues to sing with his last breath. I'm sorry Father Hu, I thought you were a coward all along. Mother Hu has fallen ill but she seems to know about her husband's death. She dies too.

Xiao Man discovers his father's death after burying Jin Feng. He runs home to find his mother but she's dead...and his grandmother has committed suicide. Tissue, where are you? Xiao Man loses his entire family in one single moment. Xiao Hei is here to visit his Xiu Xiu. Xiao Man kills him on the spot. 

The loan-shark is a good guy! He listened to Gu Qing Ming's words and is fighting for their country. 

Gu Qing Ming is with Xue Jun Shan's younger brother. This brother has a serious injury and sees Xue Jun Shan in his dreams. God awful drama, that's enough death in one episode. Stooooooop this! I didn't even care about this man and now my eyes are watery again

[Ep31] Our twins reunite. Xiao Man doesn't have the heart to tell Xiang Xiang the truth about their family. She noticed he was lying after asking about grandmother. She purposely turns away while asking about her parents. I appreciate how the drama added the detail of her washing her hands in hot water. She needs that external warmth for the lack of warmth in her heart.

Xioa Man tells Xiang Xiang he's going to marry Xiu Xiu. Xiang Xiang is elated for him for finally doing the right thing. 

And the reunion we've all been waiting for: Gu Qing Ming and Xiang Xiang. He's home safe. 

Grandfather Hu dies. All the Hu family ancestor plates are burned too. Just how many Hu family members are left?

[Ep32] Gu Qing Ming is kept hostage by the higher-ups. They think he betrayed the army by bowing down to the Japanese and that's why he's the only one back safe. That wasn't the case. They fought to the end. Gu Qing Ming was just too sad to recall it. He says he's not the hero though. He was just doing his duty as a soldier. They lost but they brought more causality to their enemy's army. It's not entirely a lost. Every bit counts. 

Xiao Man continues his bit too. He, along with his cousins and the loanshark, have a plan to take down a Japanese group. However, Xiao Man is shot to the heart. Elsewhere Xiang Xiang feels the sudden pain in her heart. In Xiao Man's last breath, he saves his cousin. The loan-shark also bombs the enemy. Xiao Man dies and so do the rest. Is this a lost? It's not. A war isn’t won with each battle but bit by bit

Omg Xiang Xiang's entire family is dead...?

Gu Qing Ming breaks the news to Xiang Xiang. 
It's 1945. Xiang Xiang is back to visit Changsha. She finds Xiu Xiu and Liu Ming Han in the house. Xiu Xiu is pregnant. The nickname for her baby is Xiao Man. Xiu Xiu has such a sad life. She's a widow to a man who barely ever loved her. Hu Xiang Ping is alive too. He tells his comrades "it's time to go home". The last scene is the complete picture of Hu Family. Oof.


Remarks



[First Impression ] I had no intention of watching this. First of all, it's an old drama and then that cover image looks horrendous. Then I see it in my YouTube recommendation and there's a cute picture of Wallace Huo and Yang Zi which got me thinking when did these two have a modern drama that looks so pink?? Then I realized this is Battle of Changsha. After being deceived into watching the first episode, it wasn’t so bad. What I mean by bad is it’s a war drama. I don’t like watching tragedy so why would I start a war drama. However, after the first episode, I kept watching, and watching, and watching. I was sucked into the lightness of this war drama and the occasional humour that made me snort out a laugh or two. 

[Ending] Happy for the romance. Xiang Xiang and Gu Qing Ming are alive and have a child together.

[Review] A war drama that’s rather light in the beginning. The heavy part of the drama occurs much later and if you already started on the drama there’s no backing out. It is a happy ending or at least as happy as it can be for a war drama. Let’s just say there were tragic moments but I was satisfied with the drama as a whole. 

Although I was watching for the romance between Wallace Huo and Yang Zi’s character, one other character caught my attention entirely. It’s Xue Jun Shan. A brilliant character. At first I pitied him. His father-in-law always looked down on his career as a police suck-up, a brute in uniform. However, he provided for the entire family. He took in his wife’s father, mother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandmother-in-law, and cousin-in-law. He continued to provide for them when the father continued to look down on him. He’s such a good man (it’s just how he took Xiang Jun as his wife was questionable). If I was this man, I’d ditch this family a long time ago. All they did was ask him for help when they needed him. There’s not one bit of appreciation from them. Episode 9 is when his character amazed me. He’s a man of his words. So loyal. So righteous. After that, his scenes were ones I looked forward to the most. His bromance with Gu Qing Ming was unexpectedly adorable. He’s undeniably a loyal friend, a faithful husband, a loving father, a cute brother-in-law to Xiang Xiang, and a patriotic man. An amazing man through and through. 

The twins in this drama bothered me at times. Each of them are troublemakers. Innocent lives were sacrificed because of their recklessness. Yang Zi’s Xiang Xiang matured later into the drama and that maturity was quickened by war. The way Yang Zi displayed Xiang Xiang’s maturity blew me away. I knew Yang Zi was a child actress but I didn’t know she was that good at such a young age. 

The war parts are sad. I cried a lot for the deaths but it's inevitable. Each death brought a better future for the new lives that are to be born. With that message integrated in the drama, it made the deaths memorable and honourable. Everyone had a part in "winning" the Battle of Changsha.

Romance was sweet. I doubted the age gap but Yang Zi acted out her character's maturity so well, I couldn’t see the gap. Her character fell in love at first sight with his but she wouldn’t admit it. He also unconsciously fell in love with her as fate kept bringing them together. 

[Verdict] Never did I think I would like a war drama but I watched this and loved it. Battle of Changsha stands against time. This was a 2014 drama I watched in 2020 and it’s still just as good and even better than half the 2020 dramas I watched.

Rating4/5 


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