Citizens are criticizing China's leading film director Zhang Yimou
for damaging the environment of the famous West Lake in east China,
where Zhang is producing an outdoor visual arts performance.
A scenic spot on West Lake in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang
Province, -- where Zhang's outdoor performance Impression West
Lake will be staged -- has been turned into a dusty
construction site, according to local media reports.
Zhang has directed a number of visual arts performances in
recent years. His Impression series including
Impression Liu Sanjie and Impression Lijiang drew
droves of tourists to the scenic resorts.
Attracted by the earning potential of Zhang's productions, the
Hangzhou local government invested 100 million yuan (US$12.5
million) to produce Impression West Lake.
"Hangzhou has lacked attractive night entertainment for a long
time. Zhang Yimou's outdoor performance will make more tourists
stay in the city overnight and spend more in the city," said Chen
Wei, vice director of the cultural department of the administration
committee of West Lake scenery resort.
Construction of the performance site began in 2005. A large
underwater elevator covering an area of several hundred square
meters, which will be the stage, has been set up. A two-storey
pseudo-classic architectural structure has been built in the
lake.
Many netizens said that the construction of the performance site
violates regulations stipulating that new buildings cannot be built
in scenic areas.
But an official with the construction department of Zhejiang
Province said the project didn't violate the regulations because
the buildings are only temporary.
However, Zhang was quoted by local media as saying that
Impression West Lake will be performed for 20 or 30 years,
and maybe even longer.
In 2003, Zhang created the first installment of his outdoor
Impression series, Impression Liu Sanjie, in the
mountain and river scenery of Yangshuo, a world-renowned scenic
resort in south China. The show proved to be very popular.
His second outdoor production debuted in July this year at the
foot of snow-capped Yulongxue mountains and Dayan Ancient Town, a
world heritage site in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan
Province.
Many Chinese film and TV play producers including Zhang Yimou
and Chen Kaige have been criticized by the public recently for
harming the environment and cultural relics.
The Ministry of Construction has revised the regulation on the
environmental protection of scenic spots, instituting fines ranging
from 500,000 yuan (US$62,500) to 1 million yuan for heavy damage to
scenery, vegetation and landforms.
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(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2006)
