For Yang, it isn’t about resisting change.
Preserving and protecting what we have is what makes Yangqi unique, he said.
The challenge is finding a balance between keeping the landscapes and rhythms that attracted visitors, while allowing residents’ lives to improve.
“Some people think new things look better, but we feel these old things match the scene better,” he said.
MORE THAN A MOVIE PILGRIMAGE: A JOURNEY BACK TO THEIR ROOTS
Dear You’s appeal has extended beyond just filming locations.
For some overseas visitors, the journey to Chaoshan is less about recreating scenes from the movie and more about reconnecting with their family roots and histories, passed down through generations.
Outside the Chenghai house in Shantou, a historic landmark featured in the film, a group from Malaysia, made up of 14 relatives and friends, were on a five-day trip to explore Chaoshan. Two had watched the film.
“There is a certain emotion behind the story,” said Lee Mei Ha, 53.
“Many of us who left our hometowns (in China) can understand that feeling.”
“Young people can come and see their hometowns (in China),” she added.
“They can understand how their grandparents and ancestors once lived.”
