Xi'an attraction gives culture a new look.docx
Xi'anattractiongivescultureanewlookXinhua/ChinaDailyUpdated:2023-10-0713:30VisitorscladintraditionalattiretakeaselfiewhilestrollingaroundtheGrandTangMaliinXi,an,Shaanxiprovince.CHINADAILYXAN-Evenafter10pmonatypicalweekday,theGrandTangMall,abustlingpedestrianareainthenorthwesterncityofXi,an,Shaanxiprovince,teemswithpeople,dazzlinglightsandvibrantmusicaddingtothelivelyatmosphere.ThemainstreetislinedwithTang-stylepavilionsanddecorations,anditiscommontoseepeopleofdifferentagesdressedintraditionalChineseattiretakingaleisurelystroll.ThesceneevokesthesensationofsteppingbackintimetoChang,an,theoldnameforXi,anwhenitwasthecapitaloftheTangDynasty(618-907).Butthisalonedoesn,tfullyaccountforwhythemodernre-creationhasbecomeoneofthepremiertouristattractionsinXi,an.Inrecentyears,touristshavebeenincreasinglydrawntoaseriesofoutdoorperformancesalongthestreet,featuringculturalelementsfromtheTangDynasty,butpresentedinacontemporaryapproach.Towardthenorthendoftheblock,acrowdofpeoplestandinacirclearoundastage,intermittentlylaughingandcheering.Onstage,twocomediansportraytherolesofFangXuanlingandDuRuhui,twoprominentTangDynastyfigures.TheyengageoneofthespectatorsinalivelyquizaboutChineseculture,andevenwhentheanswersareincorrect,thespectatorposesforsnapshotswiththeactors.?"Combiningtourismwithcultureisagoodwayforpeopletogainbasicknowledgeaboutculture,saysatouristsurnamedZhu,whohailsfromBeijing.VisitorsarealsoabletoengageinconversationsaboutancientChinesepoetrywithacclaimedTangDynastypoetslikeLiBaiandBaiJuyi,playedbyactors.Withinjust100metersofeachother,captivatingmusicalsanddanceperformancesskillfullyblendtraditionalandcontemporaryelements,makingforanimmersiveculturalexperience.TheinteractiveeventswithstrongculturalvaluesproducedbytheGrandTangMailhaveemergedinrecentyearsasthenewcallingcardofthecity,Stourismsector.Aspertheofficialschedule,therearemorethan20regularprograms,eachlastingapproximately10minutes,whichareoftenrepeatedmultipletimeseveryevening.Atraveltipcirculatingonsocialmediaadvisesthatarrivingearlytosecureaspotisessentialtoclinchingagoodviewofthepopularshows.“Thereisaclassicstorybehindalmosteveryperformance,andthesettingforeveryprogramretellsthehistoryvividly,saysatouristsurnamedWang.Theculturaltourismblockstretchesfromthecity,sfamoushistoricallandmark,theGreatWildGoosePagoda.Itis2,100metersinlengthand500metersinwidth.Whenitwasfirstbuiltinthe1990s,theancientre-creationfeltinauthenticandfailedtoresonatewithvisitorstoXi,an.Thenin2018,theQujiangNewDistrictlaunchedacomprehensiverevamp,enhancingandrevitalizingtheblock.“Theupgradeincludednotonlythereconstructionoffacilitiesbut,moreimportantly,theproductionofaseriesofimmersiveandinteractiveperformancesthatseamlesslyintegrateartwitharchitecture,breathinglifeandcharacterintotheblock,saysGaoRuixia,executivedeputygeneralmanagerofthecompanyrunningtheattraction.“TheTangDynastywasaglamorousperiodinChinesehistory,knownforitspoetryandartperformances.Wewillcontinuetoexploreculturalrepresentationsofthateratodevelopnewproductions,zGaoadds.StatisticsshowthattheGrandTangMailhasreceivedadailyaverageof300,000touristssinceJune.Xi,anwelcomed200milliontouristsin2022.