War veterans enter the hall before the grand cultural gala with the theme of "Justice Prevails" commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. TIAN YUHAO/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

During Wednesday evening's gala at the Great Hall of the People, a poignant moment unfolded as a big LED screen displayed portraits of international friends who stood with the Chinese people through the country's 14-year arduous struggle against Japanese aggression.

In the audience, John Newkirk suddenly recognized the face of his uncle, John van Kuren Newkirk, among those projected on stage.

Overcome with emotion, he was moved to tears.

Van Kuren Newkirk was a United States naval aviator and squadron leader with the 1st American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers. He led the group's 2nd Pursuit Squadron on many missions over China. In 1942, while leading a mission in Lamphun, Thailand, he was shot down and killed in action.

His nephew was invited to Beijing to attend a series of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Wednesday's gala was one of these events.

"It was spectacular," he said of the gala. "I'm so grateful to the Chinese people for remembering and acknowledging the contributions that we all made together. The Chinese people fought with courage, strength and honor alongside the American Volunteer Group to achieve victory. This was a wonderful celebration."

With its epic narrative, heartfelt stories and genuine emotional depth, the gala received widespread praise and deeply moved both the live and online audiences.

Structured into five thematic sections, the production featured a diverse range of artistic performances, including singing, dancing, stage plays, poetry recitations and acrobatics.

It paid tribute to key historical figures and significant moments during the war of resistance, while also expressing a forward-looking perspective on China's future development.

"While honoring the history, we focused on capturing intimate human details. It was essential to convey the Chinese people's wartime perseverance through the most sincere and powerful language," said Han Zhen, the gala's co-director.

The production boasted a cast that featured many of the country's well-known actors and actresses. Many of the performers were young people who marveled at the history behind the storytelling.

"At first, these young performers looked a little lost when they walked into rehearsal. But as they learned more about the history, they started to really believe in the characters they were playing. Only when they believed in themselves could the audience believe in them, too," said co-director Zhou Liya.

In the song-and-dance performance at the end of the gala, 20 of the more than 80 dancers portraying doves of peace were students majoring in ballet from the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music.

Zhong Ziyi was one of them.

"Standing on the stage of this gala, we are not just ballet students — we are also narrators of history and messengers of peace," she said.

She said that during rehearsals, she and her classmates also spent time learning about the history of China's resistance against the Japanese invasion and reading related books.

"Only when we truly hold history in our hearts can our dance avoid being superficial," she said.

Xiang Xiaogang, a researcher from the Central Conservatory of Music, remarked that the gala conveys an epic quality.

"The performance of the Italian anti-fascist song Bella Ciao and the Canadian folk song Red River Valley in the latter part of the gala added an international dimension to the theme," he said.