During the 2026 summer season for Chinese films, domestic animated movie "Eight Immortals!" has enjoyed a sustained box office run, now surpassing 1 billion RMB and becoming the "dark horse" of the season. The film, with many scenes set in scenic spots such as Shanxi's Yongle Palace, Hanging Temple, and Jinci Temple, has sparked a craze among audiences eager to visit these locations.
According to China News Service, Shanxi is famed as the "treasure house of ancient Chinese architecture," with 28,027 ancient buildings still standing today. Among the film's characters, Lü Dongbin embodies the most distinct "Shanxi flavor." Historical documents record that he was a native of Hedong Puzhou Hezhong Prefecture (present-day Yongle Town in Yuncheng, Shanxi) during the Tang Dynasty.
Yongle Palace, built in honor of Lü Dongbin, is the largest and best-preserved Yuan Dynasty Taoist temple in China, renowned for its grand and magnificent Yuan Dynasty architecture and frescoes that seem to move with the wind. Many animated scenes in the film are "replicas" of Yuan Dynasty murals, such as "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" and "Audience with the Primordials" found in the Chunyang Hall and the Hall of the Three Pure Ones.
The film’s success, combined with the peak summer tourist season, has led to a significant increase in visitors at the filming locations. Since July, the Hanging Temple has seen a daily average of 16,000 tourists, a month-on-month increase of over 20%.
Another unforgettable filming location for audiences is the Hanging Temple in Datong, Shanxi. The film’s director, Mou Zhengyang, explained that the balcony tea-drinking standoff between Lü Dongbin and Zhongli Quan was modeled on the Hanging Temple, "in hopes of reflecting their tense confrontation."
First constructed during the Northern Wei period over 1,500 years ago, the Hanging Temple is renowned for its "suspension, uniqueness, and ingenuity." It is the oldest and best-preserved wooden cliffside architectural complex in China, and one of the few temples that integrates Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Yue Lifang, director of the Hanging Temple Management Office, said its unique cliffside location and ethereal visual impact have made it a popular choice for film and game settings.