Reality show meets the past

Aspiring actors will experience and breathe the local culture of Wujiang to embody the spirit of its historical figures, Cheng Yuezhu Reports.

Last year, director and producer Wang Keran led a team to Wujiang district, Jiangsu province's Suzhou. Their first stop was the Chuihong (hanging rainbow) Bridge heritage site, a broken arch bridge first constructed in 1048.

The bridge collapsed and was restored several times over the past millennium, nonetheless proving itself a testament to ancient people's craftsmanship and ingenuity. In its prime, the bridge featured 99 arches, spanning hundreds of meters.

As a scenic spot and cultural landmark, it inspired literary and artistic giants in Chinese history to create poems and paintings in awe of its beauty. Standing at the intersection of the Grand Canal and the Taihu Lake waterways, the bridge has also witnessed countless reunions and separations.

"In ancient times, scholars and poets traveled up and down the Grand Canal, and this place became a trigger for literary creation. Scenes of farewells, gatherings and travels near the bridge have woven into the collective emotions of Chinese literati," Wang says.

These literati include renowned poet and artist Su Shi (1037-1101), who gathered with his friends in the area. At the Chuihong Pavilion near the bridge, they celebrated in the traditional scholarly fashion — drinking and expressing themselves through poetry when the mood set in.

The region itself also became the birthplace of many historical figures, including Ji Cheng, a master architect of classical Chinese gardens from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Today, a memorial hall has been established near the bridge to honor his life and contributions to garden designs.

The region's serenity and cultural depth inspired Wang and his team to create a reality show here, aiming to delve into stories of 12 historical figures linked to Wujiang, including Su Shi and Ji Cheng.