A painter works on a wall painting featuring the hit animated film "Ne Zha 2" in Shenjia Village of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 16, 2025.(Photo by Liu Tianyu/Xinhua)
JINAN, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The hit animated film "Ne Zha 2" has not only captivated audiences in cinemas but also inspired a village in east China's Shandong Province to create a massive mural, drawing visitors eager to snap photos and share images of the vibrant scene online.
The larger-than-life artwork, featuring the protagonist Ne Zha, his friend Ao Bing and other elements like a giant dragon head, is painted on the side of a rural home and has become a social media sensation.
Shen Yanshuang, who returned to the village near the city of Zibo to visit her parents during the recent Spring Festival holiday, was pleasantly surprised by this wall art.
"I had watched the movie with my child just before we went to the village, and then saw the giant painting on a wall there," she said, adding that she eagerly shared the news online with relatives and friends, receiving a wave of likes.
The country's "No. 1 central document" for 2025 unveiled on Sunday said China will advance the deep integration of rural culture and tourism and initiate pilot projects to empower rural revitalization through cultural industries.
Shenjia Village, where the mural is located, has been actively promoting cultural and artistic projects to enhance the village's appeal and improve the living environment for residents, said Shen Zhongqiu, the village Party chief.
"The introduction of wall art has not only made the villagers feel proud but also strengthened their rural revitalization confidence and anticipation," the Party chief said.
The mural, which has turned the village into a local tourist hotspot, is part of a broader trend across China, where rural revitalization is being promoted through efforts including art and culture.
In Madianzi Town, Lixin County, east China's Anhui Province, large-scale murals have depicted traditional cultural elements including Wuqinxi, also known as the Five-Animal Exercises, which were invented more than 1,800 years ago, and rural landscapes such as rice fields.
These murals, which cover over 6,000 square meters including 3D and fluorescent night paintings, have drawn 350,000 visitors and generated about 640,000 yuan (89,261 U.S. dollars) in revenue for local businesses so far.
"On weekends, the number of tourists exceeds 2,000 a day," said Ren Qianqian, head of the town.
Sun Hao, a 24-year-old resident who returned to the town to open a supermarket, has witnessed firsthand the economic benefits of these murals.
Sun said that, in the past, his weekend sales were over 200 yuan a day, but now the revenue has grown tenfold.
"The influx of tourists has sparked the emergence of new restaurants and street vendors, fostering a vibrant and bustling atmosphere," he added. ■
Children look at a wall painting featuring the hit animated film "Ne Zha 2" in Shenjia Village of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Liu Tianyu/Xinhua)
This photo shows a wall painting in Zhuliu Village of Laishan District in Yantai City, east China's Shandong Province, July 13, 2021. (Photo by Zhou Hui/Xinhua)
