Drama pays tribute to China's unsung heroes on the hidden frontline
As its title suggests, "silence" is central to the drama's essence. Yang explained that it carries three layers of meaning: it reflects the covert nature of intelligence work; the forgotten history of these heroes whose sacrifices remained unspoken for decades; and it embodies the restrained emotions of the protagonists who hid their tears and anger.
"Honor", on the other hand, represents the purity of faith, the warmth of unity among comrades fighting side by side, and the price of peace — built on sacrificed lives, according to the director Yang Yazhou.
Unlike most dramas, the audience knows the ending before the story begins. "There has never been a TV series that I dare not watch the ending," one viewer commented online. "From the very start, you're not watching a hero's legend, but accompanying an ordinary person through the hardest years of his life." Another simply added: "Faith means remaining steadfast even in the darkest moments."
