AS two Chinese New Year blockbusters “Let the Bullets Fly” and “If You Are the One II” score big at the box office, the locations for the movies, Kaiping Diaolou in Guangdong Province and Sanya in Hainan Province, are also enjoying increasing popularity with tourists.    

    Kaiping Diaolou

    — Location of “Let the Bullets Fly”

    Kaiping Diaolou, fortified multi-story towers representing a complex fusion between Chinese and Western architectural styles, is featured in director Jiang Wen’s film “Let the Bullets Fly.”

    The movie is about a gang of bandits from western China during the warring 1920s helping villagers at Goose Town to overturn local mobster Huang (Chow Yun-fat) who lives in his diaolou overlooking the town. It contains elements of suspense and black humor.

    Kaiping is known as one of the hometowns for overseas Chinese who returned to the mainland and as a cultural and architectural center. The complex in Kaiping was built by returned overseas Chinese, followed by local residents between 1911 and 1937. There are 1,833 of these buildings in Kaiping.

    Kaiping Diaolou were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2007. Because the diaolou are witnesses to Kaiping’s politics, economic and cultural development, they are considered a living museum that displays the coexistence of Eastern and Western styles. Greek, Roman and Gothic architecture are all found in the complex of buildings.

    In China, “Let the Bullets Fly” has won acclaim for story and dialogue as well as attracted criticism for its violence. Kaiping Diaolou, of course, has contributed to the charm of the blockbuster.

    Transport: Buses depart for Kaiping at most city bus stations.

    Accommodation: There are hotels and hostels in Kaiping City. For camping enthusiasts, Tangkou, Baihe and Chikeng are ideal locations for camping.

    Sanya

    — Location of “If You Are the One II”

    Because “If You Are the One” (2008) promoted local tourism in Xixi in Zhejiang Province and Hokkaido in Japan, the film’s shooting locations, “If You Are the One II” is expected to have the same effect for Sanya in Hainan Province.

    The sequel continues from “If You Are the One” (2008) directed by Feng Xiaogang. Renowned Chinese mainland actor Ge You and Hong Kong actress Fanny Shu co-starred in the new film as they did in the first one.

    In “If You Are the One” (2008), Liang Xiaoxiao (Fanny Shu) answers Qin Fen’s (Ge You) marriage advertisement while she is still grieving over her past relationship with a married man. Qin falls in love with Liang and tries hard to get her to marry him.

    Sanya was the main location for the sequel. Feng even took the film’s screenwriter Wang Shuo to the park to write the script.

    Located in the Yalong Bay National Resort district, the Sanya Tropical Paradise Forest Park is an international-standard eco-park and resort covering an area of 1,506 hectares. It has a scenic tropical forest landscape. The natural environment is the habitat of more than 100 species of birds and 20 species of butterflies. It is rich in biological, geographical and water resources.

    Cao Jingdong, manager of the Tropical Paradise Forest Park, said he believed the film would be a great help in promoting tourism there. Feng said the film would promote the development of tourism without damaging the natural environment in Sanya.

    Transport: Fly to Sanya from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.

    Accommodation: There is a wide choice of hotels and hostels in Sanya. Rooms overlooking the sea are particularly popular. (Li Jing)