In recent years, due to the pressure of ratings, some historical documentaries are keen on digging and robbing graves, making false claims, and lacking the support of historical data. They have turned historical documentaries into third-rate TV series. An excellent work that finds a delicate balance in time, opening up a vibrant new space for historical documentaries

China’s five thousand years have produced many rich and tortuous stories, from individual destiny to the rise and fall of nations, from the tragedies of life The change of dynasties is full of drama and legend. The recently broadcast 5-part, 26-episode documentary "The Turning Point of History" is different from the way of selecting materials that focuses on one generation, one person and one event. It extracts five nodes from Chinese history and reproduces them in a dramatic way, presenting a The novel creative concepts and aesthetic forms have triggered some thoughts: How do documentaries intervene in historical viewing?

The ways in which documentaries intervene in history can be roughly divided into three types: First, restore history and try to restore history according to its original appearance. History should not be played casually or judged arbitrarily; secondly, it should express history, using historical figures and stories as carriers to interpret human nature, express emotions, and interpret legends; thirdly, reflect on history, re-view and evaluate history from today's perspective, Use history to inspire the present.

"The Turning Point of History" interprets the five turning points of Chinese history in the form of scene reproduction: Shang Yang's Reform, the Han-Hungarian War, the Chanyuan Alliance, the Western Ocean and the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. It is a reflection on history. Documentary. The film goes deep into historical nodes, that is, nurturing moments, in an attempt to reveal the inner driving forces of China's historical changes. As the director said, the purpose of filming this film is to more effectively grasp the direction of our nation and the future of the world, hoping to inspire the audience to find the wisdom of survival from the mysteries of history. This documentary not only hopes to become a masterpiece, but also hopes to enlighten people's lives and enlighten the contemporary world. People may have different understandings of the selection of these five nodes, but the speculative nature of this film cannot be denied. In his explanation, the director said: The narrative is told from a unique perspective while adding thought-provoking discussions. Avoid historical records like running accounts, but sublimate speculative viewpoints through narratives and discussions.

As a mass media product, documentaries cannot ignore the audience's desire for dramatic stories and visual spectacles. Situation reproduction has therefore become an important expression method for documentaries, especially historical documentaries. "The Turning Point of History" is a documentary that reproduces all the scenes. The main scenes are all performed by actors. The earlier the time is, the more performance-oriented it is. "The Sino-Japanese War" still has exact historical relics, files and photos, and the first four episodes are almost reenactments plus interviews. Although historical documentaries can tell stories like TV dramas, the most important thing is truth. Even if they magnify dramatic moments, the materials used must have documentary evidence and cannot be arbitrarily fictionalized. This is the fundamental difference between documentaries and TV series, and it is also the irreplaceable value of documentaries. It cannot distort history for the sake of entertaining the audience. "The Turning Point of History" is based on historical documents, and its historicity is endorsed by historical records, expert explanations, ruins, and folk customs that have been passed down to this day. Among them, documentary passages add a sense of life to the documentary. "Shang Yang's Reform" talks about the folk snacks in Gaoping, Shanxi Province. The descendants of these massacre survivors regarded tofu as white meat and boiled it in water, and mashed garlic and ginger as white brains. This cursed Qin General Bai Qi's massacre and atrocities. The house in "A Voyage to the West" that Quanzhou people call the oyster shell house is the product of Zheng He's voyages to the West - these oyster shells were picked up by the fleet when they returned from Africa to pressurize the cabins. These documentary scenes not only activate history, but also connect history and reality.