Kung Fu Panda brought to life in Lujiazui exhibition

A room to practice martial arts in the Jade Palace, where Po, the Dragon Warrior, learns and teaches kung fu [Photo/ifeng.com]

Shanghai fans of Kung Fu Panda have been treated to something special this summer with an exhibition themed on the animation taking residence in the plaza of the Lujiazui's Oriental Pearl Tower for the months of July and August.

The exhibition is spread across 1,000 square meters and consisted of six pavilions, each one re-creating a separate scene from the blockbuster hit.

One room was dedicated to the practice of martial arts and offered visitors a chance to try their hand at playing the part of Po. Another was curated to look like the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. There was also a replica of the noodle restaurant run by Po's adoptive father in which visitors could taste a selection of delicious foods. There was also the popular market at the Valley of Peace in which visitors could purchase collectables.

However, the most exciting room in the exhibition for most aficionados of the martial arts comedy was the multimedia gaming room. Visitors had the chance to play as Po and fight against a range of fearsome enemies. Throughout the exhibition the cutting-edge multimedia technology was on display and this certainly maximized the vividness of the experience.

The two-month event was co-created by Oriental DreamWorks, the Asian branch of the California-based entertainment giant, and Shanghai JuneYao Creativity, a marketing organization focused on the culture and creative industries. These companies certainly succeeded in bringing smiles to the faces of visitors who found scenes from their favorite kung fu film come to life before their very eyes.