Wan'an Film and Television New City

　　    Jiangxi Province's Wan'an Film and Tourism City is situated on the north side of Fenghuang Road in Wan'an County, covering an area of over 4,000 acres with a total investment of more than 200 million yuan. The city layout is constructed 1:1 according to historical drawings of the "Old Summer Palace" ("Yuanmingyuan") to create a "New Yuanmingyuan." It is the largest contiguous film and television production base and leisure tourism destination developed in southern China.

　　    The historically renowned Old Summer Palace in Beijing was first built in the early 18th century, covering a total area of 5,250 acres. It was a grand imperial garden constructed over 151 years through the mobilization of national manpower and resources by the Qing rulers. The Yuanmingyuan was majestic in scale, exquisitely built, and featured a varied layout. Its landscaping themes spanned a wide range—from political moralizing and Confucian classics, to religious devotion and scenes of folk life—encompassing both heavenly and earthly wonders. In 1856, the Second Opium War broke out. The incompetent Qing government wavered between resistance and appeasement, ultimately suffering successive defeats under the advance of the Anglo-French allied forces. In 1860, the British and French armies captured Beijing and set fire to the Yuanmingyuan. Within days, the cultural relics, treasures, calligraphy, paintings, and porcelain stored in the garden were looted and destroyed. The once-famous garden was reduced to ashes, marking a catastrophe not only for China but also for the modern civilization of the world.

　　    Wan'an Film and Tourism City was jointly planned and designed by Beijing Film Group Corporation and the Design Institute of Zhejiang Hengdian World Studios, and was developed as a project by Zhejiang businessman Ma Xiangliang in April 2003. The plan includes the construction of fourteen scenic spots over a four-year development period. It perfectly blends the classical grandeur of imperial architecture with the delicate freshness of southern water towns, integrating film and television production, entertainment, leisure, and tourism. Currently, ten scenic spots have been completed, including Sitting on Stone by Flowing Water, Grand View and Brightness, Leifeng Sunset Glow, Reception of Elegant Mountain House, Mirror-Refecting Zither, Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, Wuling 0, Upper and Lower Heavenly Light, Penglai Jade Terrace, and Mercy Cloud Protection.

　　    Once completed, it will become the largest contiguous film and television production base and film tourism destination in southern China. Currently, nine scenic spots of the film and tourism city—including "Grand View and Brightness," "Reception of Elegant Mountain House," and "Penglai Jade Terrace"—have been completed. At the end of December 2006, renowned Chinese producer and director Zhang Jizhong led the cast and crew of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" to the film and tourism city for filming. Our county held an inauguration ceremony for the start of shooting "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" at Wan'an Film and Tourism City. Numerous celebrities such as Huang Xiaoming, He Zhuoyan, Tan Feiling, and Yuan Yuan, along with dozens of domestic, provincial, and municipal news and entertainment media outlets, gathered in Wan'an. During the filming period, three to four thousand local residents from surrounding counties and townships visited the film city daily, creating a bustling scene. The filming of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" marked a significant highlight in our county’s “Film and Television New City” initiative, ushering in a new chapter in the development of Wan'an's film and tourism industry.