Artistic Power in War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression: Put Down Your Whip—a roving torch of resistance

Put Down Your Whip, originally adapted in 1931 by Chen Liting from a short play by Tian Han, became one of the most influential works of wartime street theater. Revised during the Anti-Japanese War to depict refugees of invasion, it spread across cities, villages, and even battlefields, stirring audiences to shout patriotic slogans and turning performance into collective resistance. In 1939, Xu Beihong immortalized it in his famous oil painting, creating a rare dual legacy in both theater and fine art. The play remains a testament to art’s power to inspire unity and defiance in times of national crisis.