bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Keane Shum

Even today, near, far, wherever you are in  the mainland, spend a couple of hours in a restaurant or karaoke club and at some point the playlist will have shuffled to an all too familiar song. You might pretend to ignore it, but you know you know the words and you find yourself mentally joining in ... China still loves My Heart Will Go On and on and on, a decade and a half after Titanic smashed all kinds of box-office records and ushered in a new  era for mainland cinema-goers.
So it was really not surprising when, early last year, after Avatar had resmashed those records and taken US$204 million at Chinese box offices - nearly four times the amount Titanic took - the nation  once again found a way to immortalise a figment of James Cameron's lucrative imagination. This time, though, it was not through song, television commercials or cheesy marketing campaigns. No, why not something bigger? Why not something enduring, something set in stone? Why not rename a prehistoric Unesco World Natural Heritage site after a fantasy world where huge blue people  fly about on mutant pterodactyls? Well, why not?
It was in  the spirit of the Na'vi that four human friends and I braved the winds of tackiness and ventured into Wulingyuan National Park, in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, a five-hour drive northwest from Changsha. The star attraction is a spindly, soaring, kilometre-high tower of karst limestone, once called the Southern Pillar of Heaven, now named Hallelujah Mountain (or, in Na'vi, Ayram Alusing)  after the sacred, floating mountain range on Pandora where young Na'vi partake in an ancient and perilous rite of passage (the iknimaya). To be fair, Cameron has been quoted as saying Wulingyuan  was  an inspiration for the Na'vi's world.
There is, of course, a pre-Avatar history to this place: the geological formations themselves are  perhaps millions of years old and the Tujia people who live in the area have been around for two millennia. Han dynasty lord Zhang Liang lived here and legend suggests his grave is in one of the mountains. A local Tujia man, He Long, was a pipe-smoking People's Liberation Army war hero who went on the Long March and eventually became vice-premier before being purged in 1966.  
In more recent pre-Avatar times, the area was designated as the mainland's first national forest, in 1982, and as a Unesco World Heritage site in 1992 (the designation came under threat in the late  1990s over excessive development). Several years ago an airport was built in nearby Zhangjiajie City, where there is now a four-star hotel, the Pullman.  
 Needless to say, there are  a lot of tourists in the area. There are, of course, domestic tourists, but  there are also (especially over the long Easter weekend) Hong Kong visitors, and those from Taiwan, Korea and even the West. In  fact, there are so many Korean tourists here that there is, on the edge of one of the many cliffs overlooking the mountain range, a gaggle of gazebos dedicated to Chinese-Korean friendship, each of which is wallpapered with business cards in Korean script and sells overpriced Korean snacks and beverages.
 Entering one is among the many Alice-in-Wonderland experiences to be had in Wulingyuan. There is a huge, heart-shaped golden padlock, three or four storeys high, that sits on manicured grass surrounded by rock spires reaching hundreds of metres into the  sky. There is a glass elevator, said to be the world's tallest outdoor lift, that climbs all the way up the 326-metre-high side of one of these spires, but to get on it you have to wait shoulder-to-shoulder for an hour inside a tunnel: an accident waiting to happen. Inside the tunnel, TV screens  show just how much these rocks  resemble the ones in Avatar. 
On the walkways, teams of sweaty men barrel by, carrying sedan chairs occupied by the less fit up and down  the trails. 
There are the peculiar names given to certain rocks, strange even in Chinese, such as 'Love between Father and Son', 'Lovely Daughter and Angry Mother' and 'Supernatural Needle Used for Fixing Sea'.
And then there are the buses.
Wulingyuan is a vast park; there are parts you can walk or hike through but many of the main attractions are tens of kilometres apart and, because private cars are not let in, there is no way to get from one to another except by making use of a fleet of brilliantly purple, supposedly environmentally friendly buses. But as far as we, five intermediate Chinese speakers, can tell, there is no schedule or even route for these buses. Dozens of them are parked at each of the entrances, but no one can tell you which bus will go where, and the only way to get anywhere is to simply get on one that looks like it's about to leave. That's the easy part. Once a bus has taken you inside the park, there is no way to get out except by catching another bus, but, at each of the sights, buses come  at random intervals. The result is predictable: even though there's the occasional park employee trying to herd people into some sort of queue, and even though no one really knows where the bus is going, once one arrives, there is an all-out scramble to get on board: if you don't, how will you ever get out?
This feeling of being trapped is never more palpable than while waiting in line for a cable car, which, depending on what bus took you where, may be the only way out of Wulingyuan once the sun has begun to set. The line is about 10 people wide and hundreds long, and each time staff  at the top let another batch of people through, everyone from behind charges forward like an attacking army, albeit  one dressed in alternating baby blue and bright red tour group hats. It is like  a minor riot every 15 minutes;  people cheekily cut in line; others push the meek aside or even to the ground. 
Having survived the hour or more it took to get aboard, sitting inside the cable car  feels like floating, as we drift over trees, weave between rock towers and dodge stray tree branches. Occasionally, it goes almost completely dark, but our pupils adjust and we can make out the shadows of the cliffs. The ride is quiet and smooth and you can't help but think, 'This must be what it feels like to fly'.
There is a reason Cameron came to Wulingyuan for inspiration. Everywhere you go, every clearing in the trees and every pass over a ridge, the rock formations on show are stunning; awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, gravity-defying  feats of tectonic artistry. The top-heavy, pencil-like peaks look like they were dreamed up; the stubble of trees that sprouts from the tops of them seems so precariously balanced, the merest gust of wind might shake it loose. 
There is a miraculous natural bridge that reaches over from one floating  mountain to another. There are even quiet trails, moderate hikes too steep for the masses that take you deep within these vertical forests,  past strange features such as a randomly scattered  set of stone tablet playing cards, an oversized Chinese chess set, or large protruding concrete footprints and mushrooms that you can skip alongside or bounce on top of all the way down the mountain. These oddities might sound tacky but in the bosom of a mountain,  in the company of  friends, they provide moments of magic, wonderful surprises that make you feel like you're in another world, a fantasy world, a movie world.
You cannot avoid the crowds in  the mainland. You cannot avoid  the blatant commercialisation. If you can accept them, however, you'll get to enjoy places like Wulingyuan, and the views that so inspired Cameron. And since he has  made US$2.8 billion  by creating a world he ripped off from China, I don't see  why  the nation can't make a little back  by ripping him off in return.
Getting there: Dragonair (www.dragonair.com) and Hong Kong Airlines (www.hkairlines.com) fly to Changsha, from where Zhangjiajie is a five-hour drive.



Pandora's rocks