Kashgar-set drama lauded for heartfelt narrative

"Time in Kashgar moves at half speed. It doesn't rush you; it waits for you to find yourself. The historical depth here — every brick we stepped on may have witnessed thousands of sunrises — was unlike anything I've felt before," she said.

Director Qin Haiyan said her team spent three years immersing themselves in the region before shooting began. "We didn't design this drama; it grew out of the soil of Kashgar," Qin said, adding that the production embraced spontaneity, including unscripted moments involving local residents.