The film crew working on director Chen Kaige's fantasy epic The Promise has again come under attack for allegedly trampling on the environment, with accusations that its shooting damaged Beijing's Old Summer Palace.
The Beijing News reported yesterday that during a three-day shoot at the palace, also called Yuanmingyuan Park, in October 2004, the film crew tossed takeaway lunchboxes and painted a large portion of the garden's shrubs yellow to create the appearance of late autumn.
The report did not say what the paint did to the plants but said it did not wash away. Chen did not respond to requests for comment yesterday, and the Yuanmingyuan Administration Bureau would not confirm the report.
The accusations came just two days after Vice-Minister of Construction, Qiu Baoxing, castigated the crew for damaging the pristine Shangri-la in Zhongdian, Yunnan province .
Mainland media reported the crew had left a lasting impact on the area two years ago by building a concrete set on the Blue Sky Pond and a wooden bridge across the lake. The reports said the film crew also left the scenic spot scattered with construction materials.
The State Environmental Protection Administration ordered an investigation on Wednesday into the allegations, promising to punish the crew for any infractions.
