How a Hit Drama Turned a Quiet Village into a Cultural Hotspot: The Case of Cangnan's Wanyao Ancient Village

While traditional Lunar New Year travel themes like mountain tours, rural custom experiences, and family-friendly pet adventures remained popular during the Spring Festival holiday, the secluded Wanyao Ancient Village in Cangnan experienced an unexpected surge in visitors, thanks to the hit drama"The Battle of Biyou Village". How did a single TV series ignite such a tourism boom?

Wanyao Ancient Village. Photograph provided by The Propaganda Department of the Cangnan County Committee

During the holiday, Wanyao saw daily visitor numbers nearing its 5,000-person capacity, far exceeding last year's figures. Fans flocked to filming locations, eager to recreate scenes from the drama.“It feels like stepping right into Biyou Village," exclaimed Ms. Qin, a tourist from Hangzhou.“The place has this magical vibe from the show, yet it's still deeply rooted in its rustic charm—it's like history and fiction intertwine here."

As a“China Historical and Cultural Village" and one of the first traditional villages in China, Wanyao is not only a treasure trove of natural and cultural heritage but also a“natural film studio." Back in 2005, the Hong Kong movie"Everlasting Regret" was filmed here, with director Wong Kar-wai capturing the village's weathered brick walls and misty rain, showcasing its timeless allure. Now,"The Battle of Biyou Village" has reimagined the village through a fantastical lens, introducing a younger generation to its traditional beauty through the drama's“world of the extraordinary."

This 600-year-old village, renowned for its porcelain-making history, has transformed from a quiet corner of southern Zhejiang into a vibrant case study of film-induced cultural tourism. The drama's success highlights not only the power of cultural IP but also Wanyao's ability to rejuvenate its heritage through modern storytelling.

From"Story" to"Nostalgia": Emotional Resonance

The magic of film and television lies in its ability to evoke real emotions through fictional narratives. As viewers immersed themselves in the drama's fantastical plot, Wanyao's century-old dragon kilns, cobblestone paths, and ancient opera stages became more than just filming locations—they served as bridges connecting the“world of the extraordinary" with the village's rural culture. As one tourist commented on social media,“Walking through the village, it feels like you can hear the footsteps of the characters echoing from the Ming and Qing dynasty houses."

This blend of fiction and reality is Wanyao's unique charm as a living cultural museum. It is not only the mystical setting of“Biyou Village" but also a vivid representation of southern Zhejiang's ancient village heritage. Through the drama's lens, Wanyao's porcelain-making intangible cultural heritage, landscape layout, and farming culture have been reinterpreted, inspiring visitors to explore traditional practices like ancient opera performances and porcelain-making, turning on-screen nostalgia into real-life experiences.

From"Filming Location" to"Poetic Landscape": Aesthetic Empowerment

Wanyao's tourism success is rooted in its“natural film studio" qualities. The village's stilted houses cling to the mountainside, while its century-old dragon kilns reflect in the emerald waters of Yulong Lake, creating a picturesque scene reminiscent of classical Chinese poetry. The drama's cinematography amplified this natural beauty: the misty cobblestone alleys at dawn, the ancient water mills under moonlight, and the weathered porcelain workshops—each frame tells a story of“poetic Zhejiang."

Tourists flocked to capture"drama-inspired photos" at the exact filming spots, driving up visits to cultural sites like the Wanyao Museum and Qingfeng Hall. This visual appeal stems from Wanyao's commitment to preserving its authenticity—there are no overly commercialized imitation ancient streets, only the centuries-old living texture. The drama's cinematic language acted as a lens, helping visitors rediscover the village's beauty and the significance of its preservation as a"model traditional village."

From“Plot" to“Cultural Exploration": Unearthing Hidden Gems

The popularity of"The Battle of Biyou Village" sparked a wave of interest in Wanyao's hidden cultural treasures. The Qing dynasty pottery kiln ruins, featured as the“Cultivation Furnace" in the drama, became a must-visit landmark. Many tourists arrived with a sense of curiosity, eager to touch the clay walls of the dragon kiln, participate in pottery workshops, and follow the paths of the characters to discover century-old water mills and traditional porcelain-making techniques.

This trend toward“deep cultural tourism" is transforming Wanyao from a photo-op destination into a cultural experience hub. During the 2025 Spring Festival, over 40% of visitors participated in activities like pottery-making and ancient village study tours, with derivative consumption increasing by 25% year-on-year. The drama acted as a key, unlocking Wanyao's cultural treasures of intangible cultural heritage, ecology, and folk customs, breathing new life into its dormant farming civilization through interactive experiences.

The synergy between"The Battle of Biyou Village" and Wanyao Ancient Village demonstrates howfilm-induced cultural tourism can revitalize traditional villages. By blending fiction with reality, the drama has not only brought Wanyao into the spotlight but also redefined its role as a living cultural heritage site. As more visitors explore its ancient streets and traditions, Wanyao stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in preserving and celebrating cultural identity.