Blending tradition and technology, the Chinese megacity sets a new standard for urban entertainment, breaks world records, and inspires other cities.

As reported by CCTV+, this report takes us into a remarkable world where ancient legends meet engineering ingenuity. Now, here are the details of this captivating story.

Combining cutting-edge technology with traditional culture, thousands of drones now regularly illuminate the night sky over Chongqing, a city in southwest China. They display increasingly complex giant images from ancient Chinese mythology—such as Yu the Great taming the floods—and set a new example for urban living for cities across China.

Chongqing had already become a popular tourist destination thanks to its vast modern urban landscape, colorful skylines, and spicy hotpot dishes. Now, regular drone shows above the city have added an entirely new dimension after dark.

A recent drone and light show in Chongqing showcased the fusion of tradition and technology, presenting a breathtaking spectacle that has become a must-see attraction for tourists. Other Chinese cities are sending delegations to Chongqing to learn how to organize drone shows that are both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

However, achieving such a seamless fusion of tradition and technology requires solving a range of complex technical challenges. Behind the stunning visuals lies a delicate balance between art and engineering.

"When the drones are airborne, the distance between them must be exactly 1.5 meters. With around 5,000 drones, the level of detail increases significantly. But the real challenge is ensuring their stability and smooth formation changes," says Liu Xi, Dean of the School of Design at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute.

Behind this flawless visual effect lies a bold creative decision. For the first time, Zhang Yangxue, the chief director of the "Dynamic Chongqing" drone light show, broke away from the usual format of individual visual effects displayed one after another. Instead, she set out to unite 10 scenes into a single story connected by smooth transitions—something the team had never done before.

"The original illustrated book 'Calling Stone' has more than 60 pages, so we use minimal visual elements to describe how Yu the Great and Lady Tushan meet, fall in love, and how he must leave on a mission to control the floods. We chose falling petals to symbolize their love. Then, through the transformation of the drones, these petals turn into flowing water, showing how the floods separate them. It's a small visual idea, but it quickly captures the audience's attention and makes the story understandable," Zhang explains.

Zhang adds, "We are directors and producers at Chongqing TV. So when we first started working on drone light shows, we felt like we had entered a completely different field. On television, we tell stories using camera angles and editing. But with drones, the logic is completely different—it's much more like one continuous shot. You can only rely on movement and trajectory to create an image. But does that mean we are limited by this? I don't think so. What we did this time with 'Calling Stone' is something the industry has never done before."

Their expertise is now in high demand. More creative works are expected, thanks to the cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness of the medium.

"It has almost no impact on the air or the surrounding environment. At the same time, it provides a truly spectacular visual experience for both residents and visitors," says Guo Peijun, Deputy Director of the Content Production Center at Chongqing TV.

The city is becoming increasingly ambitious in its quest to reach new heights. Last summer, Chongqing even set a Guinness World Record when a fleet of nearly 12,000 drones, flying in perfect synchronization, created a stunning aerial portrait of the city.