A group of kindergarten children performs a music show in 1949 in a footage by a Soviet film crew. [Photo provided to China Daily]

For example, the Soviet team took a long overlooking shot along the Pearl River in Guangzhou from the 60-meter-high Aiqun Building, which then was the first high-rise there.

Now, the 530-meter Guangzhou Chow Tai Fook Finance Center, also called East Tower, is the tallest skyscraper in the city.

Another cut was on a garden party held at Zhongshan Park in Shanghai's Changning district on the Double Ninth, or Chongyang festival, in October 1949 to show the elderly celebrating.

"A small group of kindergarten children performs a music show in the clip. We found the members online and gathered them at the park to do the performance again," says Xie.