Changshan county, in the west of China's Zhejiang province, recently started on a plan to build a cultural city in the style of China's Song Dynasty (960-1279) over the next three years as part of its efforts to reinvigorate its cultural heritage.
The view of a lake in Changshan of Zhejiang province.
The tasks of the cultural project include preserving and renovating buildings in its old town, as well as creating a VR experience to let tourists take a trip back to the Song Dynasty.
Changshan has a history of more than 1,800 years since it became a county in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). It is the origin of the Qiantang River, known as the mother river of Zhejiang province. The river also allows easy transportation to Hangzhou and other big cities, which has historically brought Changshan a prosperous economy and a dynamic culture.
The county's cultural history peaked in the Song Dynasty, during which more than 1,000 poems on record were written about the county, including many by renowned Chinese poets such as Lu You, Yang Wanli, Fan Chengda, and Xin Qiji.
In recent years, the county has endeavored to develop a cultural brand it calls the"River of Song Dynasty Poems" by renovating ancient ferries and organizing cultural exchanges.