China: The Whimsical Journey Behind Abominable
When DreamWorks and Pearl Studio teamed up to create the animated movie Abominable (2019), they didn't just imagine a magical adventure across China—they carefully sprinkled the film with real landscapes, authentic cultural touches, and tiny details that make you want to pack your bags and follow Everest the Yeti yourself. This movie is like a love letter to China, painted with pastel skies, glowing lanterns, and dumplings steaming on a kitchen table. Let's wander through the Chinese inspirations behind Abominable, with a little side note for Muslim travelers curious about halal dining and prayer spaces too.
Shanghai: Skyscrapers, Music, and the Journey's Beginning
The film opens in the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, a city where glass towers sparkle over the Huangpu River and neon lights make the night look like candy. Yi, the violin-playing heroine, lives in a snug apartment tucked among these busy streets. The animators drew directly from Shanghai's skyline, even including the futuristic Oriental Pearl Tower, making the city recognizable yet dreamy.
For Muslim visitors, Shanghai is wonderfully cosmopolitan. Alongside skyscrapers you'll find halal restaurants serving Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, juicy lamb skewers, and warm bowls of beef soup. Several shopping malls also provide prayer rooms (musalla), making it easy to pause for a quiet moment of worship before diving back into sightseeing—or maybe your own yeti adventure.
The Yellow Mountain (Huangshan): A Sea of Clouds and Pine Trees
One of the most magical parts of the movie is when Everest, Yi, and her friends float over a landscape of jagged peaks rising from a swirling ocean of mist. This isn't just a fantasy—it's inspired by Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, in Anhui Province. For centuries, Chinese poets and painters have adored these cloud-covered granite peaks topped with crooked pine trees. The animators visited Huangshan to capture its ethereal beauty, then added a touch of glowing magic to make the mountains look alive.
Travelers often wake early to watch the sunrise here, when the sky paints the rocks in shades of peach and gold. And after hiking, it's easy to find halal-friendly eateries in nearby Tunxi Old Street, where you can enjoy comforting dishes like beef dumplings and Xinjiang-style grilled lamb—perfect fuel after a climb.
Leshan Giant Buddha: A Stone Guardian by the River
Another unforgettable scene shows the characters sliding down the enormous hand of a stone figure. That's not fiction—it's the Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan, the world's largest stone Buddha statue carved into a riverside cliff. Standing over 70 meters tall, the statue looks both majestic and gentle, just like in the film.
For Muslim travelers exploring Sichuan, while hotpot is the local superstar, you can also find halal Sichuan cuisine—flavorful but not overwhelming. Think stir-fried beef with green peppers or fragrant cumin lamb. In big cities like Chengdu (the gateway to Leshan), halal restaurants are marked clearly, and mosques such as Huangcheng Mosque offer a peaceful space for prayer.
Gansu's Fields of Canola Flowers: A Yellow Dreamscape
The movie also sweeps viewers into wide open fields of golden blossoms swaying under blue skies. This is inspired by the canola flower fields of Gansu and Qinghai, where spring transforms the countryside into a shimmering sea of yellow. These bright meadows symbolize freedom in the film, a place where Everest feels truly at home.
Visiting in real life, travelers can walk through tiny villages surrounded by blossoms, taste fresh honey, and sip green tea. For Muslim visitors, Northwestern China is home to large Hui and Uyghur communities, so halal food is abundant. You'll find specialties like hand-pulled noodles, beef flatbreads, and yogurt with honey. Prayer facilities are also common, as mosques dot the towns and villages across the region.
Qinghai: Snowy Peaks and Cultural Harmony
In Abominable, the friends' journey soars into Qinghai, a land where snow-dusted mountains brush the sky and colorful prayer flags ripple in the wind. The filmmakers wanted to capture not only the breathtaking scenery but also the sense of tradition and spirituality that defines this highland region.
For Muslim visitors, Qinghai is especially welcoming: local Hui communities serve halal dishes such as steamed mutton, fresh flatbreads, and comforting milk tea. Mosques across the province offer spaces for prayer and reflection, as well as opportunities to connect with the region's history.
Chinese Elements Hidden in the Details
Beyond landscapes, Abominable is sprinkled with tiny Chinese touches:
Dumplings and steamed buns show up at Yi's family table, warm symbols of comfort.
Lanterns glow in the night, echoing real Chinese festivals like Mid-Autumn.
Yi plays the erhu and violin, representing how traditional and modern music harmonize in China.
Even Everest's magical humming feels inspired by Chinese musical scales.
For Muslim travelers, these cozy family scenes may remind you of gathering over meals after prayer, sharing food that nourishes both body and heart.
Following Everest's Footsteps as a Traveler
What makes Abominable so delightful is that it doubles as a travel guide hidden in an animated adventure. From Shanghai's skyline to the quiet peaks of Huangshan, from the Leshan Buddha to the flower fields of Gansu, each scene feels like a postcard come to life. And for Muslim visitors, China is a journey where practicality meets magic: prayer rooms tucked into airports and malls, halal food in big cities and small villages, and landscapes so dreamy they look straight out of a movie—because they are.
So maybe the next time you watch Abominable, you'll imagine yourself not just as a spectator but as Yi's travel companion, munching on halal lamb skewers, pausing for afternoon prayer, and chasing the horizon with a yeti by your side.
Contact us today to craft your dream China adventure!
https://www.muslim2china.com/blog/china-the-whimsical-journey-behind-abominable
Comments
Post a Comment