The film battle during the Spring Festival holiday has come to an end. When it comes to the biggest winner of this year’s Spring Festival film season, it is undoubtedly Ne Zha: The Devil Child Conquers the Sea. This sequel, which the audience has been eagerly awaiting for five years, quickly set the market on fire upon its release, and its box office soared all the way.

As of February 17, 2025, the box office of the movie Ne Zha: The Devil Child Conquers the Sea has exceeded 12 billion yuan, and the number of moviegoers has reached tens of millions. Moreover, it has broken the box office record in a single global market. Since February 14, local time in North America, Ne Zha 2 has been simultaneously released in more than 770 cinemas in North America. The estimated box office revenue for the three days of the weekend reached 7.21 million US dollars, ranking among the top five in the North American weekend box office chart, setting the highest record for the North American opening weekend box office of Chinese domestic films in recent years. Both the advance ticket sales and the number of screenings have set new records for Chinese-language films in the region in nearly 20 years. Just the opening weekend box office has surpassed the North American box office of domestic hit films in recent years, including its prequel Ne Zha: Birth of the Demon Child and The Wandering Earth.

When it was fully released in major cities in Australia such as Sydney and Melbourne, there were dense screenings, the box office sales were booming, and tickets were in short supply for many shows. In New Zealand, the box office performance was remarkable, and many shows were close to being sold out. The film received extremely high praise during its overseas release. The Tomatometer Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes reached 98%, and the Metacritic score was 78 points. It was highly praised by foreign media as “an animated miracle from the East”.

In addition to the wonderful plot and vivid character portrayal, the presentation of the beautiful landscapes of China in Ne Zha 2 has also become a hot topic among the audience. In the movie, Chentang Pass, Ne Zha’s hometown, has towering and overlapping mountains, winding and clear rivers, and valleys shrouded in clouds and mist. Every frame of the picture is as beautiful as a fairyland, enchanting countless audiences. It also makes Chinese landscape aesthetics successfully “go viral” and gain a large number of fans worldwide. Today, let’s step into Ne Zha 2 together, explore the beautiful landscapes of China hidden in the movie, and feel the unique charm of Chinese landscape aesthetics.

Under Chentang Pass, the Scenery of Guilin Enters the Dream

Revealing the Prototype: The Artistic Representation of the Scenery of Guilin
Have you ever been curious about where the picturesque scenery of Chentang Pass in the movie actually comes from? The answer is revealed. Its prototype is the Guilin landscape, which enjoys the reputation of “the best under heaven”. Animation artist Chen Lingxiao revealed in an interview that in order to create the unique landscape of Chentang Pass, he and his team took the Guilin landscape as a blueprint and carried out elaborate creation.

In order to better present the charm of the Guilin landscape, Chen Lingxiao, who had never been to Guilin, collected a large number of pictures and videos of the Guilin landscape as references before starting the production. He deeply understood the block structure of the mountains, the distribution of trees, etc. The Li River is one of the most famous natural scenic spots in Guilin. Therefore, when he collected photos and videos of the Guilin landscape, he basically took the Li River as the main line and successively completed the collection of elements such as “karst landform mountains”, “Longsheng Longji Terraces”, and “the water body of the Li River Basin”. Due to his full immersion, he often dreamed of swimming in the beautiful landscapes of Guilin at night.

The Complementary Shine of Real Scenes and Animation

When we compare the movie scenes with the real pictures of the Guilin landscape, we will be surprised to find that there are amazing similarities between the two. In the movie, the mountains of Chentang Pass are tall, straight, and graceful, with various shapes. Some are like sharp swords piercing into the sky, and some are like camels resting on the ground. This is exactly the same as the typical karst landform mountains in Guilin. The mountains in Guilin are famous for their unique limestone peak forest landform, with strange and diverse shapes, providing a rich source of inspiration for animation creation.

The water of the Li River is crystal clear and meandering, like a green ribbon winding around the mountains. The river in Chentang Pass in the movie also has a gurgling flow and sparkling waves, with the green mountains on both sides reflecting in it, like a dream. When depicting the flow of the water body, the animators skillfully used delicate brushstrokes and lighting effects to make the river seem to be flowing on the screen, perfectly restoring the agility and softness of the water of the Li River.
There are also the clouds and mists lingering in the mountains, adding a bit of mystery to Chentang Pass. In Guilin, the clouds and mists are often the finishing touch of the landscape. Sometimes they cover the mountains like a thin veil, and sometimes they churn in the valleys like waves. In the animation, through the dynamic simulation and color rendering of the clouds and mists, the hazy beauty of the Guilin landscape shrouded in clouds and mists is vividly presented, making the audience seem to be in a fairyland.

Cultural Context: The Millennium Echo Behind the Landscape

The Inheritance of Traditional Landscape Culture

Chinese traditional landscape culture has a long history, containing the ancients’ awe and love for nature, as well as the profound concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. This cultural tradition is fully reflected in the landscape scenes of Ne Zha 2.

From the perspective of picture composition, the landscape pictures in the movie often draw on the methods of “high distance”, “profound distance”, and “flat distance” in traditional Chinese landscape paintings to create a visual effect with rich layers and profound artistic conception. For example, when showing the panoramic view of Chentang Pass, the method of high distance is used to highlight the grandeur and steepness of the mountains, making the audience feel the majesty and solemnity of nature; when depicting the scene of Ne Zha and Ao Bing running in the mountains, the method of profound distance is used. Through the progression of layers of mountains, the depth and mystery of the space are shown, giving people an immersive feeling.

In terms of color application, the film uses light cyan and green as the main color tone, which is in line with the preference for cyan and green in traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Cyan and green represent nature, vitality, and tranquility. It not only conforms to the natural color characteristics of the Guilin landscape but also conveys the respect for nature and the yearning for a harmonious life in Chinese traditional culture. In the movie, we can see that the mountains of Chentang Pass are lush and green, and the river is clear and green. The whole picture is like a fresh and elegant cyan and green landscape painting, making people seem to be in a paradise.

The Blending of Mythology and Landscape

The mythological story of Ne Zha is closely related to the Chinese landscape. The landscape not only provides a beautiful background for the story but also plays an important role in the plot development and character growth.
The landscape of Chentang Pass is the witness of Ne Zha’s growth. The landscape here has given Ne Zha an indomitable character and the courage to move forward bravely. When Ne Zha was a child, he played and frolicked in the landscape of Chentang Pass, and he was full of love and nostalgia for this land. When Chentang Pass was threatened by the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, Ne Zha stepped forward. He wanted to protect this landscape that raised him and the people here. The landscape became the belief and source of strength in his heart, inspiring him to grow continuously, gradually growing from a rebellious demon child into a responsible hero.
The landscape also creates a unique atmosphere for the story. In the movie, the mountains shrouded in clouds and mists and the surging rivers add a mysterious and fantastical color to the mythological story. When Ne Zha breaks into the Kunlun Fairyland, the strange landscape there makes people seem to be in a fairyland, full of mystery and the unknown. These fantastical landscape scenes not only satisfy the audience’s imagination of the mythical world but also make the story more fascinating.

The Charm of the Landscape from a Global Perspective

The Craze of “China Travel” and Cultural Transmission

In the global tourism market, “China Travel” is becoming an irresistible craze. With the improvement of China’s comprehensive national strength and the expansion of its international influence, more and more foreign friends are curious about and yearning for China, eager to set foot on this magical land in person and explore China’s history, culture, and natural scenery. According to relevant data, in 2024, the number of inbound tourists to China increased significantly, and more and more foreigners choose to travel to China to experience the unique charm of China.
The magnificent landscape pictures in Ne Zha 2 undoubtedly add new impetus to the “China Travel” craze. Many foreign audiences, after watching the movie, were attracted by the picturesque landscapes of China in the movie, developed a strong interest in the landscapes of China, and even included China in their travel destination list. These exquisite pictures are like vivid business cards, showing the unique charm of the Chinese landscape to the world, attracting more foreign friends to come and explore the beauty of the Chinese landscape and feel the profoundness of Chinese culture.

The Resonance from an International Perspective

The love and praise of foreign audiences for the beautiful landscapes of China in Ne Zha 2 further reflects the international appeal of Chinese landscape culture. On overseas social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, many foreign netizens have shared their feelings of watching Ne Zha 2 and praised the landscape pictures in the movie.

An American netizen posted a video on TikTok saying, “I was shocked by the beautiful landscapes in Ne Zha 2. Those mountains, rivers, and clouds are simply too beautiful! This is a beauty I have never seen before, and I must go to China to see it with my own eyes.” Another British netizen commented, “The landscape pictures in the movie are full of poetry and romance. Every frame is like a beautiful oil painting. Chinese landscape culture is really amazing, and it has given me a deeper understanding and knowledge of China.” These comments from audiences in different countries fully illustrate the popularity of the beautiful landscapes of China internationally and also prove that Chinese landscape culture has the charm to cross national boundaries and can arouse the resonance of people from different cultural backgrounds.
It’s better to act than to be tempted.

Explore the Landscape Journey

Recommendation of Guilin Travel Guide

If you are also attracted by the beautiful scenery of Guilin in Ne Zha 2, you might as well take a trip at once and experience the charm of the Guilin landscape in person. The following is a simple Guilin travel guide, hoping to help you start an unforgettable landscape journey.

Attraction Recommendations:

1. The Li River: The must-try item is to take a bamboo raft or a cruise ship to tour the Li River. Along the way, you can enjoy the picturesque landscape. The location of the background image of the 20-yuan RMB note is here. Remember to take photos and check in!
2. Longsheng Longji Terraces: The terraces here are large in scale, with layers and beautiful lines. In spring and autumn, the scenery of the terraces is different. When the terraces are irrigated in spring, they are like mirrors sparkling; when the rice is ripe in autumn, it is a golden expanse, which is extremely beautiful.
3. The Yulong River: The bamboo raft drifting on the Yulong River is very pleasant. You can leisurely enjoy the green mountains and clear waters on both sides of the river on the bamboo raft and feel the tranquility and beauty of nature.
4. Yangshuo West Street: It is a pedestrian street full of exotic customs. It is very lively at night, with various characteristic shops, bars, and restaurants. You can fully enjoy your leisure time here.

Food Introduction:

• Guilin Rice Noodles: The signature food of Guilin. The rice noodles are chewy, the brine is rich, and with side dishes such as pickled cowpeas and peanuts, the taste is rich and memorable. It is recommended to go to local time-honored rice noodle shops to taste, such as Chongshan Rice Noodles, Ritouhuo Rice Noodles, etc.
• Yangshuo Beer Fish: Fresh live fish from the Li River is stewed with beer. The fish is tender and has a faint beer aroma, and the taste is very unique. In the streets and alleys of Yangshuo, the signboards of beer fish can be seen everywhere. It is recommended to go to restaurants such as Master Chef Gold Award Beer Fish and Xie Sanjie Beer Fish to taste.
• Lipu Taro Braised Pork: A traditional famous dish in Guilin. The Lipu taro is soft, glutinous, and sweet, and the streaky pork is fat but not greasy. When the two are paired together, the taste is rich and the aroma is overflowing.
• Guilin River Snails: They are large in size and thick in meat. After being carefully cooked, the snail meat is filled with the soup, which is spicy, fragrant, and delicious. When eating, you can pick out the snail meat with a toothpick and then suck the soup, which is very enjoyable.