Shanghai Songcheng: A Time-Travel Experience to the Republic of China Era

Shanghai Songcheng: A Themed Journey Back in Time Located in the Huangpu River World Expo area, Shan[...]

Shanghai Songcheng: A Themed Journey Back in Time

Located in the Huangpu River World Expo area, Shanghai Songcheng is a one-of-a-kind interpretation park that redefines imagination. It caters to a diverse audience, offering a range of personalized performances. With multiple transformable spaces and a performance square that can accommodate tens of thousands, it’s a must-visit destination.

Our Experience

My girlfriend and I started our journey by the Huangpu River and entered Shanghai Songcheng, embarking on a themed trip back to the Republic of China era. Here’s how to make the most of your visit:

1st Floor: Entertainment Options

The performance square spans seven floors, with the first floor offering both indoor and outdoor entertainment. Outdoors, you’ll find a forest theater, bird show theater, music square, and magic street. Notable performances include ‘Punk Flash Mob’ and ‘Colorful Water Splash Party,’ especially recommended for night tours. These outdoor water activities are a great way to cool down and relieve stress during the hot summer, suitable for all ages.

‘Hello! Chaplin’ offers plenty of interaction for children, who are enthralled by the magician. For those seeking a challenge, there’s a bravery road pool outside the square.

Indoors on the first floor, you’ll encounter the ‘Great Earthquake’ theater, ‘Phantom Ship,’ and ‘Warfire.’ These attractions are a bit scary but are worth trying, even for those with timid hearts.

Costume Rental

Upon entering, you’ll find a costume rental area where cheongsams are available. The earlier you change, the sooner you can immerse yourself in the experience. Cheongsams on the first floor are more vibrant than those on the fourth floor.

2nd and 3rd Floors: Performances and Activities

These floors host performances of ‘Eternal Love in Shanghai’ and ‘WA! Dinosaurs,’ as well as the ‘Joyful Art Workshop,’ a parent-child craft activity worth visiting.

4th Floor: Immersive 1921 Street

The fourth floor’s Immersive 1921 Street offers a distinctive scene for immersive experiences. Dress in old Shanghai cheongsams and stroll through the secret service bureau, the mansion of Ru Ping and Snow Aunt, and the Japanese geisha house, each venue capable of producing stunning photos.

5th Floor: Riverside Area

The fifth floor is the riverside area, where watching cruise ships on the Huangpu River feels like being on a cruise ship. It’s also a photogenic spot.

6th Floor: Heavenly Marketplace

The ‘Heavenly Marketplace’ on the sixth floor is richly decorated in Turkish style and features acrobatic performances with crystal balls. It also has various photo studios, including upside-down houses, slanted houses, light-up houses, and invisibility houses, loved by both adults and children. You can also purchase Western-style gifts for friends.

7th Floor: Cliff Theater

The seventh floor features the Cliff Theater, where you can enjoy ballet and violin performances while appreciating the Huangpu River view and cultivating artistic sentiment, creating a superb atmosphere. The Elf House, resembling Snow White’s cottage with the seven dwarfs, is a favorite among children. Inside, the furniture and seasonal projection screens create a fairytale world.

Featured Performances

‘Eternal Love in Shanghai’ is a must-see show located in Theater 1, spanning from the second to the third floor. Early-arriving audiences should enter from the second floor, while latecomers should enter from the third-floor ticket check. Show times are 14:00 and 20:00, and entry is by ticket. If you purchase tickets with your ID on other platforms, you can enter directly by scanning your ID. The high-tech stage scenes include waterfalls, gunfire, and underwater scenes, immersing you in old Shanghai. A train enters the theater, and 3,000 tons of Huangpu River water pour in instantly, bringing a visual and emotional shock.

‘WA! Dinosaurs’ is a parent-child performance with a lot of interaction with children on site, and the props are very realistic, leaving children wanting more. There is only one show per day starting at 15:40, so parents should plan their time well, as this performance requires separate ticket purchase.

‘The Great Earthquake’ tells a small story from the Wenchuan earthquake, so those with low tear thresholds should prepare tissues. If you want to experience the shaking, remember to sit in the front rows, as the shaking is quite strong. Before the performance starts, the audience is invited on stage to act as extras, including firefighters, People’s Liberation Army soldiers, nurses, and ordinary people. The rehearsal is super funny, and the interaction with the audience is perfect. During the formal performance, the scene is very shocking, the plot is tear-jerking, and we are grateful to the People’s Liberation Army and the great motherland.

Time-travel Street

As you step out of the elevator on the fourth floor of ‘Time-travel Street,’ it feels like traveling back to the period of reform and opening up, before liberation, and to Japanese-style houses. There are also shops nearby where you can rent cheongsams to complete the experience.**A Day at Shanghai Songcheng: A Guide to Costumes, Photography, and Night Excitement**

**Costumes and Makeup:**
Dressing up in vintage attire and capturing the moment with a camera evokes the ambiance of the classic drama ‘Romance in the Rain.’ The cost for renting clothes is 168 yuan, while a package including both clothing and makeup is priced at 218 yuan, offering excellent value for money. The makeup artists are meticulous, creating styles reminiscent of old Shanghai. For families, there’s an added delight with children’s Hanfu rentals available. The resulting photos are incredibly charming, and the photogenic settings ensure that even snapshots with a mobile phone can look like they belong in a blockbuster.

**Night Tour Highlights:**
The night tour of Songcheng is not to be missed, especially during the sweltering summer months. Starting your visit at 5 PM, you can head to the Magic Street on the first floor for unique snacks and nostalgic shops, where you can find souvenirs like dad’s toys and mom’s snacks. The second floor boasts a variety of dining options, from noodles and Shanghai-style home-cooked dishes to spicy hot pot and juices, all at market prices and both delicious and affordable.

**Dining and Entertainment:**
After a satisfying meal, make your way to the Cliff Theater on the seventh floor to capture the stunning ‘Sky Mirror’ shots. As evening falls and the sky turns rosy, the Lupu Bridge becomes a majestic backdrop. The ‘Dance of Flowers’ at around 18:40 is a must-see, with beautiful swans dancing gracefully to music, creating a scene so captivating it’s hard to look away. If you’re lucky enough to witness the rosy clouds, it’s an experience to cherish.

**Interactive Performances:**
At 18:50, don’t miss the ‘Punk Flash Mob’ on Magic Street, where cosplay-clad performers entertain with laser shows and DJs, turning it into an open-air disco. Dancing enthusiasts can join in the fun and take pictures with the performers. Following this, the ‘Color Water Splashing Party’ on the music square is a lively event where you can prepare a swimsuit or change of clothes, or purchase raincoats on site if you haven’t brought any. The party kicks off with foreign water drummers and features passionate dance performances by long-legged beauties from Russia and beyond, culminating in a grand water fight carnival that’s open to all ages.

**The Water Fight Experience:**
The water fight isn’t just about the splashing; it’s about the venue’s setup. High-pressure water jets spray from multiple directions as neon lights flash and the water dances, creating a memorable experience. Whether you wear a raincoat or not is secondary; the most important aspect is the enjoyment and release you experience during the event.

**Practical Tips:**
1. Collect the guide brochure at the entrance for a schedule of theater shows displayed on the first-floor elevator’s large screen. Plan your time wisely to catch all performances.
2. Visit the cliff theater at sunset for ‘Mirror of the Sky’ photos and enjoy the Huangpu River’s night view with a gentle evening breeze.
3. For the outdoor color water splashing, bring or purchase a swimsuit, change of clothes, and raincoat on site. Sun protection is essential.

**Ticket Prices:**
– Adult ticket: 379 yuan (includes the eternal love show)
– Parent-child ticket (one adult and one child): 658 yuan
– Parent-child ticket (two adults and one child): 999 yuan
– Book a day in advance, as prices are subject to change based on the actual purchase date.
– Night tour adult ticket: 198 yuan, or 158 yuan if purchased in advance, valid after 17:00.

**Location and Transportation:**
– Address: No. 1750, Shibo Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai.
– Access: Exit 1 of Shibo Avenue Station on Metro Line 13, followed by an 8-minute walk.
– Operating hours: 10:00 – 22:00.

**Notes:**
– Performance times are subject to announcements on the day of your visit.
– Pay attention to the broadcast for specific performance times, locations, and content before each show.Just enjoy yourself easily. After the carnival party, we once again ascend to the ‘Mirror of the Sky’ on the 7th floor. At this time, the neon lights on both sides of the Huangpu River have all been turned on, and the two sides of the Pujiang River are shining brightly, making us mesmerized.

Although this is a journey through time, we still live in the present. We have feelings and also have beautiful yearnings for the future. The present is our life. Time travel itself is just a flavoring agent of life.

This time at Shanghai Songcheng, we have felt our feelings, enjoyed various performances, experienced various interactive experiences, and had a great carnival. Standing here and looking into the distance, the song ‘Night Shanghai’ echoes in our ears. Mesmerizing, gorgeous, and so practical. In fact, living in Shanghai is quite good!