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A Team of Native Hangzhou Millennials Paint Their Hometown Through the Fresh Eyes of Interactive Comics

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Published : Sept. 2, 2021 - 16:30

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HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hangzhou local creative team CultureClick's work - Hangzhou 2X2, an interactive comic promoting Liangzhu Culture through an innovative approach, has garnered popularity worldwide.

As the first part of the 2021 Hangzhou O'clock campaign, Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV and Tourism published the 1st comic episode on its social media platforms in March. In 4 months, the series has reached 307,779 impressions and 10,085 engagements. Over 9,000 fans voted on the way they want the story to unfold.

Amid the ongoing travel restrictions, the virtual travel industry is booming with countless new ways for people to experience the destinations. Hangzhou 2X2 puts the viewer in control, immersing them into the mysterious world of Liangzhu.

During the process, the local members worked together with Tara Milk Tea - the Australian travel blogger to create her animation character. Communicating in depth via Zoom calls, the two young teams joined to explore this ancient culture and presented it in an engaging, fresh, exciting way.

"For us, it feels like creating a gift for our hometown. During the process, we also got to know more about the city we grew up in", said Fang Chenlin, the director of Cultureclick.

Tara was also amazed by the experience: "Seeing my cartoon character in different Liangzhu customs feels like travelling back in time to feel that history in person."

Themed on the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, the interactive comics illustrate its social system, daily lifestyle, rice-cultivating agriculture, the peripheral water conservancy system, religious beliefs and more. At the end of every episode, the audience is asked to vote upon two options, deciding the character's next destination.

The program also invites Xia Yong, the Director of the Academic Research Division of Liangzhu Museum, as the special consultant to ensure the accuracy of the historical information.

Apart from the 6-episode comic, Hangzhou 2X2 also launched online interactive games including HZ Coloring Page and Spot Liangzhu. Both games invited people to experience Liangzhu from a fresh perspective.  

In 2021, Hangzhou has leapt beyond the traditional tourism marketing scope, opening up new travel possibilities like the playlist – Hangzhou Whisper, the video series - Hangzhou Timelane and more, letting the global fans stay connected with the city in a brand-new way.

For more information: https://youtu.be/4sr0WlrIpK4