New theme zone and upgraded drama: two hits at Splendid China

Guests attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the launch of the new theme zone and premier of the upgraded show at Splendid China on Dec. 31. Photos by Lin Jianping

The Splendid China • China Folk Culture Villages theme park in Nanshan District launched a new theme zone featuring elements of Chinese culture and premiered an upgraded version of its signature show, “Dragon and Phoenix Dance,” on Dec. 31. These two attractions quickly became hits among tourists.

The new theme zone draws inspiration from the IP “A Dream of Splendor,” a highly influential 2022 Chinese historical drama television series that has garnered nearly six billion views on the Tencent Video platform. Wang Ying, general manager of Tencent Video’s Online Video Commercialization Department, stated: “The partnership between Tencent Video and Splendid China to create this immersive theme area is not only a powerful blend of cultural tourism and film IP but also an in-depth exploration and innovative expression of China’s outstanding traditional culture.”

Expat tourists take a group photo in the new theme zone at Splendid China on Jan. 1.

Spanning 20,000 square meters and featuring 10 major scenes, the theme zone vividly restores the Chinese aesthetic lifestyle highlighted in the drama, offering visitors a cultural feast that includes traditional performances, trendy toys, creative products, and themed cuisine.

The Dragon and Phoenix Dance, a classic highlight of Splendid China that has been staged over 6,000 times in the past 20 years, has been revitalized by a team of renowned artists and directors. Rooted in Chinese history and culture, the performance utilizes dragons and phoenixes as symbols of China’s spiritual totems.

The new version of the show incorporates diverse art forms such as Sichuan opera face-changing, Chaoshan Yingge Dance, and Lingnan lion dance. Furthermore, the redesigned stage features cutting-edge technologies like naked-eye 3D and cyberpunk elements, combined with meticulously crafted costumes and props to deliver an unprecedented audio-visual experience.

A view of the upgraded version of the “Dragon and Phoenix Dance” show.

The launch of these two major projects demonstrates that Splendid China is continuously revitalizing its offerings as it commits to promoting the high-quality development of Shenzhen’s cultural tourism through innovative business and cultural formats. The park aims to establish itself as a new cultural and tourism business card for Shenzhen.