Her name is Marta, a saxophone teacher from Barcelona, Spain. A few years ago, she fell seriously ill and was bedridden for a long time, with limited mobility. During those quiet, immobile days, she unexpectedly discovered Chinese dramas — and with them, a brand-new cultural window opened before her.
“I don’t enjoy Western dramas, which are often filled with violence and sex scenes,” she shared. “But Chinese dramas are different — they are rich, diverse, full of culture, compelling stories, warmth, and depth.”
From A Dream of Splendor (Meng Hualu) to Joy of Life (Qing Yu Nian), from Lotus Casebook (Lian Hua Lou) to One and Only（Zhousheng Rumeng）, from The Double (Mo Yu Yun Jian) to The Shadow(Ru Yue), Marta has watched hundreds of Chinese dramas. These stories, with their elaborate costumes, grand sets, and emotionally charged plots, became a source of comfort and strength during her most difficult days. They carried her through the long nights of pain, opening her eyes to another world.
She says it was these dramas that gave her the strength to keep going. Over time, she even picked up Chinese words she often heard in the shows — phrases like “Qinci” (an imperial decree) and “Wansui” (long live the emperor), which once felt foreign, now feel warmly familiar.
This year, with her health much improved, Marta decided to embark on a solo journey through China — visiting Beijing, Luoyang, Xi’an, Hangzhou… But when asked about her favorite destination, she replied without hesitation: Hengdian. In the hundreds of Chinese dramas she had watched, Hengdian was the setting that appeared again and again, the name behind the scenes she had come to know by heart.The palaces, bustling streets, riverbanks, and towers had already seeped into her memory through the screen. And now, for the first time, she was finally standing where it all came to life.One afternoon at the Ming and Qing Palace, standing among the familiar rooftops and red walls so often seen in her beloved dramas, she quietly said, “To me, this place is even more enchanting than the Forbidden City.”
Her visit was part of a specially curated tour organized by the International Business Department of Hengdian World Studios, in collaboration with the Actor Agency Department. From the moment she arrived, it was clear that this was not just a trip — it was the realization of a dream.
With VIP English-speaking guides, private transportation, and a professional photo and video team, Marta’s three-day itinerary was carefully crafted to provide a deeply immersive journey through Chinese film culture.She visited active film locations and cutting-edge studios, experienced early 20th-century styling, explored live filming of short dramas at Huaxia Cultural Park, and wandered through a vibrant recreation of a Song Dynasty marketplace.
She strolled quietly along the walkways of the majestic Qin Palace, feeling the echoes of history beneath her feet. She sat in the theater at Qing Ming Shang He Tu(Along the River During the Qingming Festival) , captivated by the gentle storytelling of Hello, Li Qingzhao. She immersed herself in the live performance “What is the Movie” on Guangzhou and Hong Kong Street, and later, rode the clattering vintage trams of Dream Bund — as if transported into the golden age of Old Shanghai.
Although an allergy prevented her from completing the traditional costume experiences of ancient dynasties, she remained full of joy and gratitude. “This was one of the most wonderful journey of my life,” she said. “I will always keep this stay in my heart. It was a dream come true for me.”
What made this journey even more special was how it began: Marta had reached out directly through one of the international social media platforms, created by our team at the International Business Department. From that very first message, to numerous follow-up conversations and personalized adjustments to her itinerary, we witnessed firsthand the deep passion an overseas viewer can hold for Chinese film and television — and we had the privilege of turning that passion into a real-life experience.
Marta’s story is not just a cultural travel anecdote. It is a living example of how Chinese film and television are not only “going global,” but also inviting the world in.From the screen to the real world, from language learning to cultural immersion, Marta used her own journey to answer a question we care deeply about:Why should the world pay attention to Chinese television?
And her answer gives us even more confidence: Hengdian World Studios is more than just a film and television base — it is a gateway through which the world can begin to understand China and its history.For countless international viewers like Marta, Hengdian is not just a filming location. It is the place where dreams begin.“In one city, over three days, travel through 5,000 years of history” — this is not just a slogan. It is a journey you can truly experience with all your senses.