A production still of documentary "Yuan Ming Yuan"

Yuan Ming Yuan, or the old Summer Palace, which was burned by British and French troops during the Second Opium War is the topic of a new documentary that re-creates the stunning palaces and gardens with computer-generated imagery, writes Yao Minji.

The destruction of Yuan Ming Yuan, or the old Summer Palace, in Beijing - an embodiment of Chinese architecture and culture - remains a tragedy for most Chinese. Now a new documentary titled "Yuan Ming Yuan," to be released in Shanghai in mid-October, tries to recount the disaster.

The film takes the imperial garden as an epitome of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and reveals both the glorious days and the destruction of the pavilions and gardens.

On October 18, 1860, during the Second Opium War, British and French troops burned the old Summer Palace in a fire lasting three days and killing many people. Its destruction remains a symbol of foreign aggression and national humiliation. Release of the film will coincide with the 146th anniversary of the torching of the great landmark.

Director Jin Tiemu seeks assistance from computer-generated imaging, or CGI, technology to re-create the destroyed palace.

It might seem strange at first glance to include so many computerized images in a documentary, however, Jin is reluctant to call his film merely a documentary.

"It should be categorized as a non-fictional film, rather than a documentary. The category of documentary often gives audiences a false impression because they are biased and tend to associate documentaries with educational purposes - so they often consider them boring. To be accurate, 'Yuan Ming Yuan' is a non-fictional film," says Jin.

To him, the boundary between fictional and non-fictional films is getting more ambiguous nowadays. Many fictional films base their stories on real historical events, such as "Tokyo Trial," which is now being screened in Shanghai. Meanwhile, many documentaries contain re-created stories, such as the acclaimed "March of the Penguins" and now, "Yuan Ming Yuan."

Melissa Edouard, an American student who studied Chinese in Shanghai, says that the computerized images would not affect her decision to watch the film, although it seems a little bit strange to have so many special effects in a documentary.

"I would definitely want to know how they got the information (about how Yuan Ming Yuan looked like before it was destroyed), and it would be great if they put that in the film," says Melissa.

Computer-generated imaging was a indispensable choice for Jin at the beginning of the production because the garden was burned to ground with only a few stones left on the site.

In recent years, Chinese documentaries, especially those focusing on Chinese history and culture, have attracted various international distributors. Some of them have been sold to more than a hundred countries and regions.

Following this trend, Jin takes foreign audiences into his consideration from the very beginning of the production. The film is linked by the perspectives of three foreign missionaries who actually lived in the Qing Dynasty. Among them, Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione (with the Chinese name Lang Shining) and Jean-Denis Attiret (Wang Zhicheng) both served as painters for the royal palace and participated in the expansion of the old Summer Palace during the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong.

"All films are re-created fantasies, whether it is fictional or non-fictional, whether it deals with present or past, therefore CGI is just another way to tell the story," says Jin.

"Story" remains a keyword during the interview with Jin. He frequently remarks that the film has strong storylines and will be enjoyable to audiences who are used to fictional films.

"My ideal audiences are those who know something about the history and significance of Yuan Ming Yuan and want to know more about the true history. They will not be disappointed by this movie. It does not have an educational purpose, it's just a film for you to enjoy," says Jin.

Such audiences include both domestic and international ones.

Shen Jiayu, a fresh college graduate who moved to New

York with her family at the age of three, says: "My relatives and friends all like to watch Chinese documentaries. They have been very popular recently, especially those that concern the history and culture. I think overseas Chinese are more interested in and pay more attention to Chinese culture because we are outside of it."

Not only are overseas Chinese fond of such documentaries, but many foreigners are interested in Chinese history and culture.

"I think the interest in the garden is more than the fact that it was beautiful. Also because it has been difficult to construct in the first place and had a mix styles with Chinese and European architectures," explains Vincent, a French student studying in Shanghai.

"Moreover, it is of interest because it (Yuan Ming Yuan) has been destroyed. People often have nostalgia and pity for things that no longer exist. Therefore, a documentary about the imperial palace would be great in showing us how beautiful the garden was before the catastrophe," he adds.

Editor: Yan