The art troupe of People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force said farewell to the public in a video uploaded on the army's website 81.cn on Friday afternoon.
The Rocket Force is the first military branch that announced it would shut down a performance troupe.
The shutdown of the Rocket Force art troupe is part of the massive restructuring of the PLA which will see 300,000 soldiers laid off.
The farewell video, titled "Song of the Heart," starts with an art troupe soldier wandering in empty rehearsal rooms. Sounds of people practicing ballet and other forms of art can be heard, but no performers can be seen.
The video was shot at Tiantai Theater in Beijing, a modern theater affiliated with the art troupe.
The nostalgic lyrics of the song can be roughly translated as, "We have accompanied each other for all these years, never hesitant, never thinking of goodbye. But the love will continue and I will sing the song of the heart."
Some entertainers, including Pan Changjiang and Phoenix Legend in the video, are known by Chinese audiences for their frequent appearances in the annual Spring Festival Gala.
The art troupe, formerly the art troupe of the Second Artillery Corps, was established in 1966 to advocate patriotism and heroism through drama, music and dancing.
Based in Beijing, it has performed for soldiers all over China and has represented the army during visits across Europe and Asia, reported thepaper.cn.
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