Reality show meets the past

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.

The show is titled The Twelve Revels in Jiangnan. Jiangnan refers to the southern regions of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, where Suzhou is an iconic city.

"These distinguished figures we've come to know from Wujiang's history are like cultural sparks scattered across this land, and it is them who inspired us to create a show," says Wang, who is also the founder of Beijing-based theater company Magnificent Culture.

"Only by experiencing Wujiang in person, did we truly understand, that its cultural depth goes far beyond the idyllic imagery of small bridges and flowing river associated with Jiangnan."

Jointly produced by Magnificent Culture, ticketing platform Damai's theater brand Mailive, video streaming platform Youku, and Wujiang Culture and Tourism Group, the reality show began filming in late June and will air in September on Youku and Zhejiang TV, according to a media conference on June 5.

The production is set to become a study-oriented reality show centered on actor training and cultural learning, as the creative team sees the Wujiang district as a place to nurture comprehensive qualities.

It has selected 24 young aspiring actors to participate, who will, in the upcoming months, live and film in Wujiang, explore local culture, take courses given by professionals, and finally embody the historical figures through acting.

Filming mainly takes place near the Chuihong Bridge, with nearby areas having been restored to a historical and cultural street zone. Now, the zone boasts buildings reflecting ancient aesthetics, cultural and commercial venues suited to visitors' needs, and historical sites including gardens and city walls.

The creative team seeks to closely integrate Wujiang's cultural and tourism resources related to daily life into the show's narrative, bringing the participants to the traditional Jiangnan-style buildings, intangible cultural heritage museums and workshops, and themed guesthouses.

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.

"Each of our participants was chosen from the public, and through learning and cultivation, we hope they'll become actors who truly represent the people," Zhang says.

"This show is about nurturing people who are committed to learning. Over the past year of preparation, we've all been working toward this goal. These young people come from all walks of life, united by their love for acting. I hope this training program will help them grow and that they can stay true to their dreams."

In search of ways to fully utilize and promote Wujiang district's cultural and tourism resources, the team is also trying new formats alongside the main reality show.

Young actors with outstanding performances in the show will be selected to participate in an eponymous large-scale stage production, scheduled to premiere at the end of the year.

A spin-off music program called Sound Map will be launched. During the main program's filming, the creative team will be recording sounds in the area, such as that of weaving machines, washing clothes, local musicians singing and playing instruments, that will be incorporated into four original songs centered on Jiangnan culture.

Altogether 150 university students will become observers and recorders during the filming process, free to record video materials and edit them into a one-minute video. At the end of the show, these mini-documentaries will reflect local culture from young people's fresh and diverse perspectives.

Looking ahead, the team plans to develop more cultural merchandise and collaborate with artists or brands. Travel routes will also be designed for audiences who would like to visit sites featured in the show.