Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

Regionally flavored productions such as the hit film Dear You, which focuses on the Chaoshan region of South China's Guangdong Province; the TV series The Lead, set against the backdrop of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province; and the Anhui-set drama The Heir are capturing national attention. 

These shows have not only inspired pride among their own communities but have also set off a wave of "regional envy," as viewers across China are calling for stories rooted in their own regions. Is China's screen culture entering an era where "those who win regional culture win the market?"

A key reason these regional dramas and films strike such a chord is their strong sense of authenticity, scarcity, and empathy, industry experts concluded.

Unlike so many formulaic productions, these shows offer viewers a real-life sample, immersing them in worlds far from the floating, airbrushed narratives that once dominated mainstream entertainment. 

Whether the story unfolds in a small town in Northeast China, a dusty plateau in the northwest, a bustling Shanghai alley, or a quiet Beijing hutong (narrow lane), the audience finds pieces of themselves in shared feelings, family struggles, and universal emotions. 

Why does rooting a story in a real place carry such impact? As China's film and TV industry grows increasingly industrialized and efficient, it is the shows that dig deepest into specific lands and culture that have the best shot at touching the heart.

Shi Wenxue, a veteran film critic, told the Global Times on Sunday that regional culture is more than just a set of local dialects or scenic locations; it is an innovative storytelling approach, providing clear cultural signposts that make each show distinct.

The use of dialects, for example, does more than add color; it brings a feeling of truth, immediacy, and immersion. 

However, Shi also stressed that while regional surface details attract attention, what truly allows these works to go viral is their emotional universality. 

From Dear You to The Lead and Blossoms Shanghai with the latter one set in Shanghai's 1990s economic boom, all became national hits because their stories spark an emotional resonance that breaks through regional borders.

Shi observed an even wider trend behind this regional wave: Chinese audiences are increasingly shifting from imitating Western styles to expressing and recognizing their own cultural identities. 

Traditional Chinese aesthetics, virtues, and ways of life are becoming the "mainstream" for young audiences, who now weave cultural pride into everyday life. What was once labeled as "local" is now seen as unique and meaningful.

This growing confidence is not just a domestic phenomenon; it carries real international potential. The expert noted that deeply rooted local culture could become an "ace in the hole" for Chinese productions going global - and the evidence is already there. 

For example, the rural drama Minning Town, which told a story about villagers migrating to build a town amid harsh desert conditions in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, has aired in over 50 countries and regions, including North America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. 

"The success of these works lies in finding a connection between local narratives and global themes, specifically, crafting stories with universally relatable emotional logic, while seamlessly integrating elements of local culture," said Shi.

Film critic Luo Luo, also a film producer, agreed that exploring regional culture more deeply can become a distinctive advantage for Chinese films and TV works going global. 

Today's major cities around the world are becoming increasingly similar, and what truly sets them apart and makes them memorable is their distinctive regional cultures. When film and TV works featuring local cultural characteristics go global, they resonate with overseas Chinese communities, while allowing foreign audiences to experience the unique charm of different regions in China, according to Luo.

However, there is a real danger in treating regional culture as nothing more than a fashionable "master key." There are also some productions relying too heavily on dialects, social-media-famous landmarks, or cliched depictions of rural hardship and exotic geographies, while neglecting real cultural depth or narrative meaning. 

"The biggest risk," Shi cautioned, "is that the region becomes just a backdrop, not a living force in the story." To avoid this trap, Shi noted, creators should return to the principle of authenticity - drawing from lived local experience, not just visual imagery. 

Only by truly entering the lives of ordinary people, with new perspectives and fresh aesthetics, can filmmakers turn regional stories into something universally moving. After all, true masterpieces are never just about a place; they are about telling universal human truths in a local language.

Chinese TV and films may well be entering a "golden age of regional storytelling," where the battle for hearts and ratings belongs to those who can best turn the color, sound, and soul of a place into a moving story for all. Industry insiders like Luo are seeking more outstanding regional cultural stories to bring them to the screen. Luo noted that her ancestral home is Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province. 

Given the opportunity in the future, she hopes to make a film about local merchants, using cinema to tell audiences the stories of her hometown's predecessors.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn