The well-received national opera Yimeng Mountain was staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts from Sept 24 to 26 in Beijing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Many in the audience were moved to tears because of portrayal of the spirit of hard-working, self-improvement and selfless dedication of the Yimeng villagers.

The opera, produced over two years by the Publicity Department of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, is based on true stories that took place in Shandong's Yimeng Mountains during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

It tells how local villagers offered tireless dedication to millions of Communist-led soldiers by making shoes and clothes for them and taking care of their children.

The opera highlights the spirit of Yimeng villagers and soldiers working together to pursue a common destiny.

The opera has since been staged over 70 times across China, including in Fuzhou, Jinan, Shenyang and Yantai, and enjoyed by more than 70,000 theatergoers.

A climactic moment during the opera Yimeng Mountain. [Photo by Cui Yuan/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A scene of Yimeng Mountain. [Photo by Cui Yuan/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]