Re-creating a miracle

He adds that the creators also wished to revisit the history from an objective point of view.

Featuring a sizable cast of more than 300 characters, the film brings to life historic figures like Chairman Mao Zedong and then US president Harry S. Truman, and war heroes such as Yang Gensi and Huang Jiguang, both conferred with the title of "Special-Class Hero", the highest honor for Chinese soldiers.

"For the audiences who have limited time, the movie is like a condensed encyclopedia entry, helping them to quickly learn the history," says Dong.

And the film chooses to recount events primarily from the perspectives of the decision-makers, he adds, as this gives a clearer insight into the campaign.

A Beijing native born in 1960, Dong has helmed a number of military-themed projects, including the award-winning TV series The Eighth Route Army (2005) and the World War II film Ballet in the Flames of War (2015).