Actor Liu Jin, who specializes in playing the late premier Zhou Enlai, is directing a new film about Zhou. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Wearing a Zhongshan suit, the modern Chinese tunic, actor Liu Jin looks directly into the camera and says something inspiring for a little girl named Sihan.

He was asked by a fan to record a video for the girl who idolizes the late premier Zhou Enlai (1898-1976).

"Hello, Sihan, I've heard that you like premier Zhou. I guess you are a good kid. Zhou began to plan for the rise of China when he was 12. Heroes like Zhou are irreplaceable, but you can learn from his spirit and try to be the best you can."

As a "specialist actor", Liu has played Zhou in more than 70 TV dramas and films, including The Long March (2001), Yan'an Praise (2003) and The Founding of a Republic (2009) over the past two decades. The roles he has played are also deeply rooted in the consciousness of Chinese people. He also feels a strong sense of responsibility to retain the image of Zhou in the hearts of his audiences.

To mark the 120th anniversary of Zhou's birth next year, the 54-year-old actor for the first time is directing a film, which is titled Zhou Zongli Hui Yan'an (Premier Zhou Returns to Yan'an). It focuses on stories about Zhou in his old age.

The film was adapted from a novel of the same name written by Chinese writer Cao Guxi.

Cao wrote a draft script for the novel as early as 1996. However, at that time, plans to adapt the novel into a film were shelved due to a lack of funding.