Ancient city gate.[Photo by Xu Lin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Visitors can create sound effects, like making thunder by swaying a thin steel plate or the pitter-patter of raindrops by shaking a box of soybeans, or dub a classic movie clip. The Water Curtain Cave, an enormous artificial karst cave, was a set for the hit movie Journey to the West from director Zhang Jizhong.

In the novel, Sun Wukong, or Monkey King, lives in the cave with his monkey fellows before accompanying the monk Xuanzang on a journey to retrieve Buddhist sutras from India.

Visitors can also realize dreams of being a swordsman or swordswoman in the outdoor theater by volunteering to play classical martial arts roles onstage. “Such interactions will make visitors feel connected to movies and television and have a better tourism experience,” Chen said. “I shot many of my works here,” said director Zhang, who is shooting a new martial arts TV show, Ode to Gallantry.

“I like Xiangshan very much. “The management and tourism projects are bringing more and more people. The transportation is more convenient now, and I believe it will become even more popular,” Zhang said.