Reality show meets the past

There, the participants will gain handson experiences of activities representative of local culture, for example, feeding silkworms and caring for mulberry trees, making chili sauce using regional handed-down techniques.

"In Wujiang, the everyday life elements — food, clothing, housing and transportation — offer a glimpse into the unique charm of Jiangnan culture and people's most sincere longing for a better life," says Dai Dan, head of Wujiang district's publicity department.

She explains that the region's geographical conditions, economic prosperity and cultural depth are interconnected. A dense network of waterways allowed sericulture to prosper and carried the silk products to other areas. In return, the flourishing trade brought wealth to local people, shaping a lifestyle marked by refinement and elegance, such as eating seasonal food and living in classical gardens.

"Wujiang people can embody a poetic detachment from worldly affairs, yet they can also commit to social development when called upon. In modern China, three distinguished figures from Wujiang — politician Liu Yazi, sociologist Fei Xiaotong, and nuclear physicist Cheng Kaijia — contributed to the nation's journey in standing up, growing rich and becoming strong," Dai says.

"Their stories will serve as creative resources of the reality show. We also hope that the newly founded historical and cultural street zone will develop alongside the show, to form a new model of integrated cultural tourism."

The 24 participants, aged between 18 and 32, were selected from 1,522 applicants worldwide and made their public debut at the conference. In the filming process, the 24 participants, with two playing one historical figure, embody the spirit and ideals of these icons through theatrical performance and an immersive learning experience guided by professionals.

Actress Zhang Kaili serves as the show's chief planner, and along with Taiwan actor Winston Chao, TV presenter Xu Li and a group of experts in other fields, will mentor the participants through intensive training, in areas ranging from acting, traditional culture to psychology and law, aiming to cultivate young actors with well-rounded qualities.