Legendary duo charms new age

Selig also suggests that a successful Chinese film could benefit from greater cooperation with international filmmakers to expand its global audience. "It's worth noting that the success of Ne Zha 2 has been largely confined to the domestic Chinese market," he says, attributing this to its storytelling structure, which differs from that of Western feature films.

Xuan Xuejun, deputy dean of the School of Animation and Games at the China Academy of Art, reveals that the Black Myth: Wukong Art Exhibition — a popular destination for many fans traveling to Hangzhou for the festival — has attracted over 160,000 visitors since its launch in early April.

As the curator of the exhibition, Xuan recalls, "There have been queues almost every day." He still clearly remembers seeing a young fan who brought a folding bed and started lining up outside the ticket booth — which opens at 9 am — as early as midnight.

"The exhibition reflects the charm of various aspects of traditional Chinese culture, such as architecture and sculptures," comments Xuan.