
The Great Earthquake
On Tomb Sweeping Day, in 1988, a film crew set out for the monument of the Tangshan earthquake to shoot a memorial ceremony for the victims. This marked the beginning of shooting for a documentary called "The Great Earthquake." The crew continued to shoot through the rest of 1988, even staging a large-scale rock 'n' roll concert and performance art event on the Great Wall, and into 1989, including footage shot at the famous 1989 Avant-Garde Art Exhibition, where one artist fired two gun shots at her exhibit. More footage was shot during the Tiananmen protests, up until the events of June 4th shut down production for good. Shortly before, a two-hour "rough cut" was assembled by main director Wen Pulin and Assistant Director Hao Zhiqiang, which screened only once (and is preserved at University libraries in the U.S.). The footage has been recycled in some of Wen's later films, notably "China Action," but "The Great Earthquake" itself was never finished.
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
- —
- Language
- Mandarin
Release dates
ChinaCN
- Premiere18 Oct 1989
Frequently asked questions
- When was The Great Earthquake released?
- The Great Earthquake was released on 18 October 1989.
- Where can I watch The Great Earthquake online?
- No verified streaming availability is listed for The Great Earthquake right now. Check back soon.
- Is there a Hindi trailer for The Great Earthquake?
- No verified Hindi trailer for The Great Earthquake is available yet. Only the original-language trailer is listed.
- What is the rating of The Great Earthquake?
- The Great Earthquake holds a 0.0/10 audience score from 0 votes.
- Who directed The Great Earthquake?
- The Great Earthquake (1989) was directed by Wen Pulin.












