In Search of Authentic Borderlands: Zheng Junli and His Wartime Documentary <i>Long Live the Nation</i>

The efforts of Chinese filmmakers during World War II have garnered increasing attention as more literary and visual materials continue to be unearthed. The era’s frequent displacements and nationalistic imperatives created a distinctive filmmaking landscape. This article delves into the director Zheng Junli’s quest for an authentic representation of China in his propaganda documentary Long Live the Nation (Minzu wansui) from 1943, which showcases the unity and diversity of six Chinese ethnic groups in the borderlands. One of Zheng’s central concerns in the filmmaking process was zhenshi (authenticity), which I put into a broader context of individual travel experiences and cultural interaction. Factors such as Zheng’s previous film practices, resource limitations, daily travel encounters, and desire to portray reality contributed to his documentary decisions. Foregrounding Zheng’s individual experiences, the article contends that the process of making this travel documentary involved negotiation and compromise between the traveler and the destination, culminating in a performative authenticity that depicts a united China unfolding on screen. The study sheds light on the complexities involved in crafting wartime travel propaganda documentaries and proposes the importance of studying travel and mobility to understand the artistic creations during the wartime period.