Sorghum fields which spans an area of 60,000 square at the gate of the Unique Henan - Land of Drama in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province meters Photo:Lou Kang/GT

To highlight the irreplaceable position of grain growing in the development of human civilization, Christopher Nolan is not the only director who played a farmer in his own screen work. At the gate of one of world's largest immersive theater complex located in Central Plains of China, general director Wang Chaoge planted sorghum fields which spans an area of 60,000 square meters, to tell the visitors the importance of agriculture in the Yellow River culture.

Considered one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, explaining Yellow River culture is not an easy job, but Wang helped engage audience by breaking down the history into 21 sub theaters, which form the huge theme park Unique Henan - Land of Drama which is decorated by loess, high walls and crop field.

How to define this art space? In director's eyes, she wanted to break the boundaries of a traditional theater. "When visitors walk past the front gate, the show begins; when they walk out of the gate, the show continues in their heart." For visitors, this is a theme park, a theatric complex as well as an immersive cultural center.

Opening in June 2021, architects designed the park as a self-guided maze comprising 56 courtyards arranged in the form of a checkerboard shielded by high walls. Everyday 800 actors spread across every corner of the complex to provide crowds with 21 dramas whose play length can be added up to 700 minutes in total. It would take  each visitor three days to watch all of them.

A park representative told the Global Times that all of these crops now are taken care of by the local farmers. "And the crop fields are grown by season. During Springs and Winters wheat will be planted here and now it's sorghum," the representative said.

Since its opening, the Land of Drama has quickly become a popular destination for visitors, maintaining a high score of 8.8 on China's reviewing platform Douban. 

The complex is attracting scores of young people to experience the power of its drama. It is based on the Yellow River civilization and showcases the charm of drama culture through immersive performances. 

"It's like a real-life version of a 'blind box', as when you walk you will always expect what's next courtyard is waiting for you," a young Japanese visitor told the Global Times.

A shop inside Unique Henan-Land of Drama Photo:Lou Kang/GT

Left or right

Once visitors enter the space, turning either left or right become crucial decisions, as each space has its very own theme.

The only channel into the checkerboard maze lies between two 9-meter-high rammed earth walls. Walking through the crop fields, tourist are led into a space with all town and city names are written on the wall. "This is a place will people find their hometown as Henan is the birthplace of ancient China's first recorded dynasty," an employee told the Global Times. 

More than 3,000 years ago, Shang Dynasty (c.1600BC-1046BC) was established in Henan, encapsulating the glorious history of China's bronze era.

Among one of the most popular sub theaters, a story recreating the world famous Yinxu Ruins and its chariot and horse pits are  on display in a dark showroom.

In 2005, Chinese archaeologists made remarkable discovery in Anyang, Henan, revealing the funeral customs and military culture of the late Shang dynasty.

They are located in the Royal Tombs Area of Yinxu, which is the earliest large-scale royal graveyard in China and the source of China's system of royal and imperial mausoleums.

However, the owner of the sacrificial pits remains unknown. And the story between the grave keeper and the ghost of the imaginary owner in his dream is enjoyed by crowds standing surround the stage every day without fail.

In another sub theater where the dim light lights up a dilapidated rural house in a village, local aged Henan opera actors recall the changes in the process of urbanization with their loud voices in local dialect. 

One of its main theaters adopts a technology whose lighting, video, and sound systems are controlled by a mix of pre-programmed installations.

"In addition to the theaters, the tourists can also get a hand on making their own local intangible cultural heritage handicrafts," a park employee explained. 

A creative center

To prevent the past memories from being forgotten, shops housing creative products inspired by the local cultures are presented to the visitors who step inside to calm down and relax after experiencing an emotional roller coaster.

Monkey-like decorations and one cleverly-crafted seemingly out-of-fashioned artifact made by a local elder lies quietly in the corner of a shop.

The shopkeeper told the Global Times that 

"Zujiaguan" is one of the provincial intangible cultural heritages of Henan, which originated in the Central Plains region and has a history of more than 200 years. 

Monkeys wearing facial masks and official hats were auspicious mascots in ancient times. The art combines various skills such as clay figurines, facial painting and carving, and use the clever connection of levers and silk threads to make naughty and cute little clay monkeys. e.

"But sadly, there are no longer other inheritors exist who can make this technique come true. And we wish to keep this art alive by making it into creative products."