A Chinese patriotic-education film released on Sept. 1 reportedly recorded zero yuan in box-office revenue during its first two days in theaters, drawing ridicule and criticism online. Shen Rongqin, an associate professor at York University in Canada, said the weak turnout reflected both growing fatigue with state-promoted patriotic education and the financial pressure facing many Chinese households.
Patriotic film fails to draw audiences despite veteran actor
Salute to the National Flag (Wo Xiang Guoqi Jingli) opened in mainland China on Sept. 1. The patriotic-education film reportedly recorded zero yuan in box-office revenue during its first two days in theaters. Taiwan’s FTV News reported on Sept. 25 that the film had earned only 64,500 yuan (US$9,600.00) after 23 days, citing York University associate professor Shen Rongqin.
The film follows 200 children from eight primary schools in Binhai District who take part in summer military training organized by the district education bureau at a patriotic-education base. The story portrays the students as developing perseverance and a deeper understanding of the national flag through the training.
The opening quickly drew attention online, with reports describing the film as one of the year’s poorest box-office performers despite Niu’s participation.
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Online backlash focuses on cost and propaganda
Mainland Chinese social-media users mocked the film and questioned why audiences should pay to watch government-backed patriotic messaging.
“My salary has gone back to what it was 20 years ago—3,000 yuan a month—while prices are already three times higher than they were 20 years ago. And you’re still telling me these stories? You expect me to spend my own money to go to a theater to be educated? What do you take me for?”
Another commenter wrote: “There’s something wrong with the title. Nobody believes these kinds of foolish lies anymore.”
Users on X made similar comments. One wrote, “Brainwashing films don’t work anymore,” while another said, “In the past, the government had to pay for the brainwashing. Now people are expected to pay for it themselves—and actually go watch it.”
Scholar links weak turnout to economic strain and patriotic-education fatigue
Shen Rongqin, an associate professor at York University in Canada, wrote on Facebook that Salute to the National Flag recorded zero yuan at the box office during its first two days. He noted that even the film’s intended patriotic audience appeared unwilling to buy tickets.
Shen contrasted the film’s performance with the success of Wu Jing’s Wolf Warrior 2, which became a record-setting Chinese box-office hit in 2017. In Shen’s view, the gap reflects not only changing audience tastes but also growing resentment toward official patriotic education.
Shen also criticized China’s Patriotic Education Law, arguing that it expands ideological control through “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism With Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.” The law, which took effect in 2024, calls for patriotic education across schools and other sectors of society and explicitly includes Taiwan compatriots within its scope. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has separately warned that the law could increase political and ideological pressure on Taiwanese people engaging with mainland China.
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