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| duration=1213:30 | sponsor00 <ref name=Kodak"D23"> https://d23.com/a-to-z/reflections-of-china-film/ </ref>

|custom_label_2= FastPass Disney Genie +

In When Imagineers initially conceived the late 1970sChina pavilion, with most plans for what would eventually become Reflections of the planning China originally called for World Showcase completethe film to be shown on a standard theater screen <ref name= "Martin2"> http://www.martinsvids.net/ </ref>. Subsequently, however, Disney approached the Peopleattraction was developed into a CircleVision 360 film. In order to create the attraction, a 's Republic of 'MacGillivray Freeman Films'' crew led by director Jeff Blyth traveled to China about creating to film a travelogue video for the China pavilion style movie <ref name= "Jack"> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/walt_disney_world/theme_parks/epcot/china/ </ref>. Although interestedInitially, the Chinese government was concerned about giving Westerners permission to film interested in partnering with Disney, but was uncomfortable with Western crews filming their country. In fact, China originally insisted that all Because of Disney’s filming be strictly supervisedthis, and they refused to let Imagineers take aerial shots at the outset, the government put strict restrictions of Tibet or Disney's film crew, including making the Great Wall and Tibet off limits. As Disney and China continued to negotiate over filming restrictions, little progress was being made. In a last ditch effort to attain more creative freedom, Disney showed representatives from China the film Fantasia<ref name= "Jack"/>. This showing seemingly helped convince the Chinese government to loosen their restrictions, and Disney was uncomfortable with this given more autonomy. As part of the new agreement, and after showing when shots of China's "sensitive" areas was called for, Blyth would turn the sequence over to his Chinese officials counterpart<ref name= "Jack"/>. The Chinese film crew would then film the movie Fantasiascene, they before it was reviewed by the American team, who would then decided if any additional takes were able needed.  After two months of scouting, the filming of Reflections of China began in the fall of 1981<ref name= "Jack"/>. As previously mentioned, the film was shot in CircleVision 360, which required crews to acquire more freedomfilm on nine cameras, that were stationed on a platform. Imagineers returned to China in the winter of 1981 to record the seasonal changes, before concluding filming the following spring <ref name= "Jack"/>. To narrate the film, Blyth decided to use the famous Chinese poet, Li Bai. Li Bai (who is known as Li Po in the West) <ref name= "book"> The EPCOT explorer's encyclopedia: R. Pedersen - Epcyclopedia Press - 2011 </ref> wrote over 1,000 poems during the Tang Period<ref name= "Jack"/>. According to director Jeff Blyth:[[Image:LiPo.jpg|400px|thumb| Li Bai served as Wonders of China's narrator.]]{{Quotation|I chose Li Po, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, to be our guide and on-camera narrator. This might seem like the equivalent of using Shakespeare to narrate a film on present day England, but I deliberately chose a historic figure so that the words he spoke would not seem to some conservative members of the audience like the official party line. <ref name="casting"> Viner, Michael, and Terrie Maxine. Frankel. Tales from the Casting Couch: An Unprecedented Candid Collection of Stories, Essays, and Anecdotes by and about Legendary Hollywood Stars, Starlets, and Wanna-bes--. Beverly Hills, CA: Dove, 1995. Print. Pages 68-69 </ref>}} In the film, Li Po was played by Chinese actor Shih Kuan, whose voice was then overdubbed by Keye Luke.  The completed Wonders of China film was approximately 19 minutes long, and it featured parts of China that had never been seen by most Westerners <ref name= "Jack"/>. The total cost of making the film as just over $1,000,000 <ref name= "times"> https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19820607&id=tvdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kO4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7014,2843621&hl=en </ref>. The attraction opened with the rest of [[EPCOT Center]] on October 1, 1982.

After two months of scoutingBy 2002, filming China had become both an industrial country and a popular tourist attraction. With these changes, Wonders of the film China began in the fall of 1981<ref name= "Jack"/>. The film was shot in Circle Vision 360, which required crews to film on nine cameras, which were stationed on a platformseem dated. Imagineers returned eventually decided that they needed to China in the winter of 1982, to record the seasonal changes, before concluding filming in the spring<ref name= "Jack"/>. In order to make update the film more interesting, Disney decided to use the famous Chinese poetand on March 25, Li Bai (also known as Li Po) as 2002 Wonders of China was shown for the films narrator. Li Bai (who is known as Li Po in the West) final time <ref name= "book"> The EPCOT explorer's encyclopedia: R. Pedersen - Epcyclopedia Press - 2011 </ref> wrote over 1,000 poems during the Tang Period<ref name= "Jack"/>.

The completed Wonders Jeff Blythe returned to direct the updated film, which would combine new footage of China the country shot in 2002, with scenes from the original film was approximately 19 minutes long, and it featured parts of China scenes shot in 1981 that had never been seen by most Westerners used. Disney's film crews arrived in China in September 2002 for two months of filming<ref name= "JackChinanews"/>. The total cost Joined by filmmakers from the the China Research Institute of making Film Science, the film as just over $1,000,000 team set out to record new footage in seven Chinese cities<ref name= "timesChinanews"> https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19820607&id=tvdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kO4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7014,2843621&hl=en </ref>. The Among the biggest additions to film opened with , were scenes featuring Hong Kong and Macao which were not governed by China when the rest original Wonders of World Showcase on October 1, 1982. The China film remained unchanged until 2002was made. By 2002In a similar fashion, China film crews also reshot Shanghai, which had become both an industrial country and a popular tourist attractionbeen modernized in the intervening twenty years. With these changesOther scenes, Wonders of China began to seem dated. Imagineers eventually decided that they needed to update including the filmGreat Wall, Tienanmen Square, Beijing, Harbin, and on March 25, 2002 the Wonders of China was shown Urumqi were all updated for the final time 21st century <ref name= "bookJack"/>. When commenting on the updated film, Blyth noted:

On May 23, 2003 an updated version of Wonders of China made its debut in the China pavilion <ref name= {{Quotation| "Jack"/>. The new biggest difference is that 20 years ago we had permission to filmon these locations, known but people did not really understand what we were doing. We did not get as much cooperation as Reflections of China, we are getting now featured Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Macau. Other scenes, including the Great Wall, Tienanmen Square, Beijing, Harbin, and Urumqi were all updated for the 21st century <ref name= "Jack"/>. For the refurbishment, all of the narration was re-dubbed, and a new score was composed by Richard Bellis <ref name= "bookChinanews"/>. Since 2003, Reflections of China has not experienced any changes.===Casting Li Po===According to director Jeff Blyth:}}

{{Quotation|I chose Li PoIn addition to the updated scenes, a famous poet Reflections of China (as the Tang Dynasty, to film would now be our guide called) also received and on-camera narratorupdated score composed by Richard Bellis <ref name="book"/>. This might seem like score featured new sections added to a revised version of the equivalent original Wonders of using Shakespeare to narrate a China score. Finally, although the film on present day Englandwas still narrated by Li Po, but I deliberately chose a historic figure so that new narration was recorded for the words he spoke would not seem to some conservative members of film. In the audience like the official party line. <ref name=casting"> Vinerattraction's new scenes, Michaela body double was used to replace original actor Shi Kuan, and Terrie Maxinewho was too old to reprise his role. Frankel. Tales from A new actor was brought in to overdub Po's narration throughout the Casting Couch: An Unprecedented Candid Collection of Storiesentire film, Essays, and Anecdotes by and about Legendary Hollywood Stars, Starlets, and Wanna-bes--as Keye Luke had passed away in 1991. Beverly Hills In total, CA: Dove, 1995Reflections of China is six minutes shorter than its predecessor. Print. Pages 68-69 </ref>}}

When Disney and the People's Republic Reflections of China were negotiating filming accessibilityofficially opened to guests on May 23, veteran Chinese actor Shih Kuan was China's chief negotiator <ref name= "casting"/>2003. Kuan originally chose Since this time, the actor who would play Li Po in the film <ref name= "casting"/>attraction has not seen any major changes. However, when At the actor demanded he be paid in the weeks between shootings2017 D23 Expo however, Director Jeff Blyth told Kuan Walt Disney Imagineering's Vice President and Senior Creative Executive Tom Fitzgerald announced that either he would play Li Po or Disney would fly be creating a new Circle-Vision film for the [[China]] pavilion. According to Hong Kong and cast someone else<ref name= Disney, the new film will be the first shot using a "castingnext-generation digital camera system"<ref> https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/07/new-film-at-china-pavilion-in-epcot-will-feature-new-technology/ </ref>. EventuallyIt is unclear at this time what relation, Shih Kuan relented and agreed if any, the new film will have to portray Li Pothe current Reflections of China film.

[[Image:ReflectionsofChinafilimng.jpg|400px|thumb|The scenes in the current version filming of Wonders of China]]Reflections of China areshowcases many of China's cultural and natural landmarks. The scenes in the film depict:

* Veteran actor Keye Luke, portrayed Li Bai in the In Wonders of China film. guests could see the Peking Opera Company perform The Monkey King Raises Havoc in Heaven <ref name= "times"/>

* Many of Luke's original scenes were re-dubbed by a new actor when To make the film became Reflections scene seem more natural, in Wonders of China. , actors were used instead of real tourists in the Great Wall scene <ref name= "times"/>

* When filming the Huangshan Mountain sequence, over three dozen locals were hired Wonders of China was occasionally referred to lift a 300by the longer title "Wonders of China-pound camera up 16Land of Beauty,700 stone stepsLand of Time <ref> https://www.disneydocs.net/_files/ugd/5db718_0b875a96406e4bc4a103b184e3d1dc11. pdf </ref>