Silent Honor (Chinese: 沉默的荣耀) is a 2025 Chinese spy drama television series. Co-directed by China’s Ministry of State Security and Taiwan Affairs Office, the series is based on the life of Wu Shi and stars Yu Hewei, Wu Yue, Wei Chen, and Zeng Li.
Contents
Synopsis
In August 1949, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) took control of Fuzhou. Wu Shi, a Chinese Communist spy who had infiltrated the Kuomintang (KMT) and served as deputy director of the Fuzhou Pacification Headquarters, had originally planned to remain in Fuzhou to welcome the PLA into the city. Unexpectedly, however, he received an appointment from Chiang Kai-shek promoting him to Deputy Chief of the General Staff at the Ministry of National Defense.
To better assist the Communist underground in gathering intelligence on Taiwan and supporting the effort to unify the country, Wu Shi traveled to Taiwan with his family and his aide-de-camp, Nie Xi, to take up his new post. After Wu Shi's original courier was accidentally killed, Communist agent Zhu Feng, who was based in Hong Kong, gave up the opportunity to return to Shanghai to reunite with her family. Instead, she went alone to Taiwan to reestablish contact with Wu Shi. Working closely together, they transmitted numerous pieces of crucial intelligence while evading the efforts of Gu Zhengwen and others.
As the Nationalist forces suffered successive defeats on the Chinese mainland, the era of White Terror in Taiwan intensified. After being betrayed by the defector Cai Xiaoqian, Wu Shi and his associates were all arrested and were ultimately executed in Taiwan.
Cast
Main
Yu Hewei as Wu Shi
Wu Yue as Zhu Feng
Wei Chen as Nie Xi
Zeng Li as Wang Bikui, Wu Shi's wife
Supporting
Yu Entai as Cai Xiaoqian
Na Zhidong as Chen Baocang
Tan Kai as Chen Zemin
Yu Ailei as Gu Zhengwen
Zhang Xilin as Mao Renfeng
Fu Hongming as Zhou Zhirou
Zheng Xiaoning as Zhu Shaoliang
Ma Xiaowei as Chiang Kai-shek
Huo Qing as Gu Zhutong
Huang Junpeng as Chen Cheng
Release
The series premiered on 30 September 2025 on CCTV-8 and major streaming platforms including iQiyi and Migu Video.
Reception
Critical response
Analysts interviewed by Radio Taiwan International said the series marked a new phase in China's united-front television and film propaganda as "it uses entertainment to publicly glorify its undercover agents amid strained cross-strait relations."
Alcott Weiss' of South China Morning Post wrote that the series "marks rare salute to Communist Party spies in Taiwan".
Viewership
Silent Honor premiere set a new record for CCTV-8's prime time slot, with real-time ratings breaking 3% and peaking at 3.07%. It has generated massive discussion online, with related topics reaching 800 million views on social platforms.
