NANCHANG, July 12 (Xinhua) -- In China, many historic sites continue to captivate visitors thanks to their ties to celebrated literary works passed down over generations. Tengwang Pavilion, or the Pavilion of Prince Teng, is one such example.

Though most Chinese people are unlikely to be able to recite the full "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Wang Bo, some of its phrases and idioms have become part of their living language.

Watching the sunset from the pavilion, which sits on the bank of the Gan River in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, visitors can visualize the beautiful scene Wang Bo described in the most famous verses of his prose-poem more than a millennium ago.

However, this cherished symbol of the city used to be enclosed within an 80,000 square-meter area by a 6-meter-high wall and accessible only to ticket holders. The wall also acted as a barrier to the Gan River's shoreline, forcing locals to detour when they walked along the bank.

Since the beginning of this year, that barrier no longer exists.

Thanks to a sweeping urban transformation launched by Nanchang's municipal government in 2024, the towering landmark in the heart of the city is now closer to the public.

The 600-meter wall has been dismantled, and the area of the paid-access-only zone has been reduced dramatically. Now, more than 90 percent of the pavilion's grounds are free for the public to enter. A fluid public space has taken shape, where tourists and residents alike wander freely down riverside walkways.

"Now, Tengwang Pavilion is a cultural landmark I can walk to easily, with no ticket needed. I can just drop by any time for a stroll and enjoy the view," said Xiong Keke, a local resident.

"It's not just about removing a wall -- it's about upgrading the city's functions," said Mao Qi, a manager at the company that operates the tourist site.

The pavilion was built in 653 A.D. by Prince Teng, the brother of a Tang Dynasty emperor, and the current structure is the product of its 29th reconstruction. It has been rebuilt repeatedly thanks to the praise it received in Wang Bo's poetic masterpiece, according to one expert on the local culture and history.

When the initiative to enlarge the free-of-charge zone was first suggested, it was met with pressure and anxiety. Would it mean that fewer people would pay to enter the site's core, ticketed building? Could the site survive financially?

The numbers quickly eased those concerns. In the first quarter of 2025, the pavilion's free zones welcomed over 3.3 million visitors. And the core area saw nearly 1.1 million visitors -- a 21.8 percent increase over the previous year. Overall tourism revenue rose by 16.2 percent.

"Instead of clinging to a ticket-based economy, we're focusing on long-term vitality," said Zhu Xu, chairman of the Nanchang Tourism Group. "Giving people access to the best views draws crowds that support secondary consumption."

Additionally, the site's ticket-free zone was expanded northward and integrated with nearby commercial districts and old neighborhoods, creating an economic ripple effect that reached far beyond the pavilion gates.

Just a short walk away, the formerly quiet Rongmen Road and Dieshan Road have transformed into bustling cultural zones. More than 50 shops where people can rent traditional Chinese clothing, called Hanfu, have opened in the area.

"The compound surrounding the pavilion is like a natural film set, attracting many visitors dressed in flowing Hanfu to pose for photos in the expansion zone," said Wen Linglin, who owns a Hanfu studio that opened earlier this year.

"During this year's May Day holiday, we had over 40 orders every day and worked until 3 a.m.," she said.

Equally notable is the rebirth of the Dashiyuan neighborhood, a historic residential block adjacent to the pavilion. Once a neglected cluster of aging homes, it has been reimagined as a retro-style pedestrian district that preserves the look of old Nanchang while offering new amenities. The alleyways are now filled with over 200 small businesses, from shops selling local snacks to craft stores.

Restaurant owner Liu Yuehua has expanded her business from 60 square meters to over 1,000 square meters. "On holidays, we're full from morning until late at night," Liu said. "We've had days that bring in over 30,000 yuan (about 4,200 U.S. dollars) in revenue."

Commercial traffic in adjacent districts has surged by 210 percent since the pavilion's northern zone opened in January. The number of new and renovated businesses in the area has increased by approximately 40 percent over the past year, according to local government data.

After more than a thousand years, Tengwang Pavilion -- rebuilt time and again thanks to the poetic legacy -- continues to breathe new life into the city. ■