Ancient Chinese tower tests classic literature buffs

NANCHANG, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The benefits of being a good student of classic literature? How about free entrance to one of the most famous pieces of ancient architecture in China?

The management of Tengwangge, or Tengwang Pavilion, an ancient tower in east China's Jiangxi Province, has exempted entrance fees for tourists who can recite the 800-character prose masterpiece "Preface to Tengwang Pavilion" during the May Day holiday that began on Monday.

As of 2 p.m. on Wednesday, more than 900 tourists have passed the test and won the ticket normally priced at 50 yuan (8 U.S. dollars), according to the scenic spot's administration.

On Monday morning, dozens of tourists aged between 8 and 70 queued in front of Tengwangge waiting to test their memory of the literary magnum opus by Wang Bo, an accomplished poet in the early Tang Dynasty (618-907).

"It's not about the tickets, which we can easily afford, but we think winning a tour by reciting prose could be a special experience," said 33-year-old Fan Hailang. Both Fan and his 8-year-old son finished the recital in five minutes.

Li Jing, a marketing manager of the scenic spot, said the main purpose of the activity was to encourage a better understanding of the building's culture and history.

"If the tourist can recite 60 percent of the prose, we'll give him or her a pass," she said, adding that the staff would also give cues if some verses escaped the tongue of the reciter.

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