'Ne Zha town' in Tianjin draws crowds as film fuels cultural tourism
Chinese attractions ride Ne Zha 2 hype with discounts and themed routes.
"Ne Zha town" in Tianjin, China. The city has seen a boost in visitor numbers and claims to be a prototype site in the original myth. (Photo: Weibo/Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)
TIANJIN: The Ne Zha 2 hype is fuelling a cultural tourism boom in China, with Tianjin - which claims to be one of the mythical story’s prototype sites - seeing a surge in visitors.
The film features characters, such as the lotus paste vendors, who speak in Tianjin dialect. You might also notice Tianjin-style clapper talk and the traditional Chinese lute in scenes set in Chentang Pass.
Locations featuring Ne Zha-themed elements have become hotspots for visitors.
Chentangzhuang, which some fans have linked to Chentang Pass in the film - Ne Zha’s hometown and birthplace in the original myth - has seen an increase in the number of tourists.
Tianjin’s cultural and tourism sector has also introduced several Ne Zha-themed experiential routes, with a 30 per cent increase in visitor traffic, as reported by Xinhua.
A former industrial park in Tianjin’s Hexi district was revitalised to incorporate Ne Zha’s imagery with its historical architecture.
Known as “Ne Zha town”, the park features various Ne Zha murals with which visitors can take pictures. It used to be a radio factory established in 1958.
Since the movie became a hit, the number of visitors to “Ne Zha town” has surged, reported China Daily.
Yan, a user on Xiaohongshu, shared photos of her visiting “Ne Zha town” earlier in February.
“Ne Zha town isn’t very big but it’s very creative. It’s a shame that it wasn’t more publicised,” she wrote. “Do something, Tianjin tourism!”
She added that while there are many visitors during the weekends, the surrounding areas are much quieter.
Besides Tianjin, attractions elsewhere in China are also cashing in on the hype.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan province, along with several attractions in Shandong, Shaanxi, Henan, and Hubei, have offered discounts or free entries for visitors who show a Ne Zha 2 movie ticket stub.
