A replica of Chang'an, the capital of China’s Tang Dynasty (618-907), has seen a surge in international tourists flocking to its historical film set in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, driven by growing enthusiasm for Chinese historical films and TV dramas.
The Xiangyang Shengshi Tang City Scenic Spot, also known as the Tang City Film Base, has served as the set for numerous renowned domestic and international films and TV dramas, including “The Legend of the Demon Cat.”
Faithful to the architecture and street layout of Chang'an City, the replica showcases the majestic style of the Tang Dynasty, one of the most advanced empires in ancient China.
"We are now on the most famous street in Xiangyang Shengshi Tang City Scenic Spot, called 'West Market,' a popular filming location for many movies. As you can see, the buildings in this district are primarily painted peacock blue and red--colors that symbolize the vibrant prosperity of the Tang Dynasty,” said Xing Ji, a Tang Dynasty culture ambassador at the film base.
Xing said the scenic spot has been attracting an increasing number of tourists from around the world, many of whom are visiting China under the relaxed visa-free policy and are eager to explore the charm of the country's millennium-old history.
"There are also many international students visiting this film base. I recall that more than 100 of them once came, all dressed in Hanfu (traditional Chinese attire). The first thing I taught them was the etiquette of the Tang Dynasty. Recently, with China’s visa-free policy in place, the number of foreign tourists visiting this scenic spot has surpassed 10,000 annually," said Xing.
Last year, China significantly relaxed its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the original 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.
Replica of ancient Chinese capital draws growing number of international tourists
A new Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, the Dongguan (Hull 109), recently completed its first maritime training at the waters of the East China Sea after commissioning to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
During this combat-oriented training exercise, the Dongguan not only completed single-vessel training subjects such as navigating through narrow waterways and damage control, but also coordinated with other warships in the formation to conduct joint operation drills, including maritime assault missions, at-sea replenishment, and multi-domain coordinated strikes.
With the improved performance of weaponry and equipment, the software and hardware of the Dongguan are vastly different from those of previous vessels. Sailors onboard the warship said that it's much more well-equipped and responsive.
"The Dongguan can now observe farther and hear more clearly. From detecting the target to launching strikes, it may take only a few seconds. However, seeing farther and wider also brings exponentially more interference factors. This requires us to practice and observe more frequently to accumulate experience, so as to enable rapid identification and efficient response," said Guo Tian, a lieutenant onboard the Gongguan.
In addition to diversified subjects with a clear combat focus, the Dongguan also faced challenges posed by harsh weather conditions during the training exercise. The crew remained at their posts throughout the process, demonstrating exceptional skills in maneuvering the vessel.
"To accelerate the combat readiness of the vessel, we participated fully in the testing and trial navigation missions from the very beginning of taking over the ship. The very first power trial navigation was independently completed by our own crew. Throughout this process, we not only learned how to operate the ship, but also understood the working principles behind its operation. This has laid a solid foundation for our combat-oriented training and equipment maintenance," said Zhang Chen, a helmsman onboard the Dongguan.
"During this maritime training exercise, we adhered to a problem-oriented approach. By creating complex settings and simulating real combat scenarios, we thoroughly tested the quality and effectiveness of the integration of trial and training during the equipment handover period, while systematically validating the combat effectiveness of the new equipment. Next, we will further optimize deployment, consolidate our foundation, strengthen coordination and cooperation, actively integrate into formation and group training, and continuously enhance the vessel’s comprehensive combat capabilities," said Shen Kai, commanding officer onboard the Dongguan.
The Type 055 destroyer is the fourth-generation destroyer independently developed and built by China. As one of the Chinese PLA Navy's most advanced surface warships, it carries advanced radar, universal vertical launch systems, and comprehensive radio frequency system, serving as the core the naval fleets for far-sea missions.
The Dongguan was commissioned to the PLA Navy together with another Type 055, the Anqing (Hull 110). With these additions, the number of China's Type 055 10,000-ton-class destroyers has risen to 10 since the first Type 055 destroyer Nanchang (Hull 101) was commissioned in 2020.
China's newly commissioned Type 055 destroyer Donggaun completes 1st maritime training
