Romanticism of golden-age dynasty rekindled on silver screen

BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- With their endearing yet genuine voices, the child audience eagerly chanted alongside the protagonists, reciting verses of poems deeply ingrained in the hearts of nearly every Chinese person, as the animated film "Chang An" took them down the memory lane of a renowned poet from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

The production by Light Chaser Animation revolves around the story of a profound friendship reminisced by poet Gao Shi between himself and the master of romantic poetry Li Bai. The story offers a glimpse into the star-studded history of the Tang era, which is often seen as a golden age in Chinese history due to its economic prosperity and cultural achievements.

Since its debut on July 8, the movie has generated 267 million yuan (37 million U.S. dollars) in ticket sales during the country's bustling summer movie-going season. Continuing its streak of rising revenue, the film grabbed the second spot on the daily box office chart on the fourth day of its release, according to movie data platform Maoyan.

The intellectual and artistic achievements of the Tang poets and their works epitomize the pinnacle reached by Chinese civilization, said Xie Junwei and Zou Jing, directors of the film. Therefore their wish was to create a story of the Tang Dynasty, of poetry, and of the poets' ideals and pursuits.

Featuring 48 poems composed in the Tang dynasty, "Chang An" presents a panorama of the most excellent poets of that time as well as their political aspirations and ideals of humanity.

The film expresses the spirit of Tang Dynasty poets, as embodied by Li Bai and Gao Shi, in pursuing their ideals unfazed by adversities whatsoever. This is not only the theme of the film, but also connects to the inner world and pursuits of contemporary Chinese people, Xie said.

According to the production team, portraying epic history through animation not only provides them with greater flexibility in shaping characters and storytelling but also imbues the entire narrative with a heightened sense of romance.

For instance, viewers were impressed by the fantastic scenes when poet Li Bai read out one of his most famed works to toast more wine with his friends.

"Li Bai's piece is both unshackled from rules and melancholic, which is a blend of various emotions and colorful imagination. It is particularly akin to the expression of animated films, so we can use visual techniques to show the artistic landscape of the poem and follow Li Bai's step into his spiritual world," Xie said.

For many moviegoers, the film is not only a cinematic work or a literary history lesson, but also an echo from the past.

Comment of a netizen named Cealar on China's leading film rating platform Douban succinctly captures the significance of the film: "I was touched by the sound of children reciting poems in the theater. I hope this film can plant the seeds of Chinese culture and poetry in their hearts."