Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
“Endless Journey of Love,” a new and original Chinese animated film set for release during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday, tells a poignant love story in a fantasy world centered on time manipulation and features a touching theme song performed by pop star Zhou Shen.
A promotional image of Zhou Shen’s theme song for Chinese animated film “Endless Journey of Love.” [Image courtesy of Universal Music China]
Zhou’s new song and music video, “Dreaming of You,” was released on May 26. His pure and delicate voice conveys the sense of destiny woven into the film’s narrative. Using “dreams” as metaphor key, the song unlocks the shared past of the film’s protagonists, Shi Qi and Qian Xiao, whilstexploring the universal themes of connection, farewell, and reunion. The song captures the human longing to control time, relive lost moments, and transforms unsaid goodbyes. into transcendent reunions across time.
“This song can find its way into everyone’s life. Farewell is a mandatory lesson in life,” Zhou said, recalling several very important goodbyes in his life as he resonated with the film and song. “Many vivid stories may ultimately end at a gentle point. Just like the lyrics say, maybe one day we will meet again in a dream.”
The theme song serves as the first single and beginning of a partnership between Universal Music China (UMC) and Brave Music, a label founded by the acclaimed Chinese composer and producer Qian Lei, who wrote and produced “Dreaming of You.” On May 26, the two companies announced a multi-year global distribution deal for UMC to distribute future releases from Brave Music, leveraging Universal Music Group’s global network.
Crew and voice cast pose for a group photo at the premiere of “Endless Journey of Love” in Beijing, May 27, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Bravo Entertainment]
“Endless Journey of Love,” written and directed by the couple Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan, follows Qian Xiao, a seashore village girl in 1930s China. She gains control of time from a magical device called the “Wheel of Time.” As powerful forces pursue her, she meets Shi Qi, a cold-faced assassin who is also after the wheel. The two form a one-day partnership and embark on a thrilling, romantic and tear-jerking journey with plenty of twists. Their relationship shifts from rivals to allies as the wheel pursuers try to shape their fate. The stellar voice cast includes Karry Wang, Liu Xiaoyu, and singer Zhou Shen himself, along with movie stars Huang Bo and Jia Bing.
The film is a blend of human nature, time control and the romantic courage to defy fate. The original plot offers a fresh idea, emotional depth, all amplified by a retro Shanghai-style setting. Directors Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan said that the five-year production tested their physical and mental endurance. From scriptwriting to voice acting and refining more than 2,000 shots, the team’s shared journey through time has brought the fantasy story to life.
Director Yu Ao said at the premiere in Beijing on May 27: “farewell is the central theme of the entire film, yet being together ‘in this very moment’ gives us the courage to face parting.”
According to co-director Yu, the inspiration for “Endless Journey of Love” came from an unexpected farewell to their beloved dog. Learning to let go of that pain, alongside the regrets, forged the starting point for their writing. Through a fantasy story about time, the creators aim to impart a much more important lesson to viewers, this being, to “seize the moment” and not waste time.
Sun Lingyu, the film producer who guided its development, said that “Endless Journey of Love” is a work infused with love and hope. These principles are in the the film’s very DNA. It is her hope that this film will help people reflect on their own lives and remember their loved ones.
A poster for “Endless Journey of Love.” [Image courtesy of Maoyan Entertainment]
The film is scheduled for nationwide release in China on May 30, ahead of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival and International Children’s Day holiday starting May 31.