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
The Japanese society should do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression and adhere to the pacifist constitution, said Shiradori Hiroshi, a professor of the Hosei University, in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Tokyo on April 30.
He said the government's recent move to discuss revising the three security documents deserve particular attention as the country's foreign and security policies have already witnessed major changes.
"People outside of the country hold that Japan's post-war image as a 'peace state' is now facing a major shift. Against the backdrop of tremendous changes in its foreign and security policies, the revision of the three security documents deserves particular attention. There lacks public debate in terms of the procedure, with policy changes decided unilaterally at Cabinet meetings. It is necessary to fully explain to the public as to whether such a practice is proper," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government held its first expert panel meeting to discuss revisions to the three security documents at the Prime Minister's Office on April 27, local media reported.
Japan's current National Security Strategy and two related documents, formulated in 2022, were designed to cover the next 10 years, but the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has decided to move up the timetable to accelerate the revision process.
Increasing defense spending is one of the key topics of the meeting, according to Kyodo News.
Hiroshi said this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, or Tokyo Trials, and the Japanese society must do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression in WWII, when it brought enormous catastrophes on Asian countries.
"Eighty years have passed since the opening of the Tokyo Trials. Japan inflicted enormous suffering on Asian countries during WWII, which should serve as an opportunity for the soul-searching. It is exact on the basis of countless sacrifices that Japan's post-war pacifism and its identity as a 'peace state' took shape. On this 80th anniversary, it is necessary for Japan to re-examine and do soul-searching regarding its history," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government's effort to revise the pacifist constitution is widely opposed by the public.
On Sunday, around 50,000 people gathered at Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, chanting slogans and holding banners against the government's push for constitutional revision and military expansion, the largest turnout of its kind in recent years.
Japan should adhere to pacifist constitution: scholar
