Theme and Amusement Park Profiles

Splendid China Folk Park, Shenzhen (visited in 2015)

Splendid China Folk Park is made up of two parks- Splendid China Miniature Village and China Folk Culture Village. Both contain very few rides in the sense thought of in connection with theme parks, but rather they are examples of themed and immersive landscaping, building and entertainment.

Shenzhen as a city in China has a particular significance as it was the first Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Created in 1980, the SEZs represented an experiment by the Chinese government to accelerate economic growth in the zone by giving special tax benefits and preferential treatment to foreign investment. In order to attract tourism, Shenzhen has a dense concentration of themed parks and immersive experiences.

Entrance to Window on the World
The entrance to Window on the World. Much like the rest of the park, the entrance mixes styles of architectural and visual arts without regard to their congruence in the outside world. Here visitors can see reproductions of famous statues from the Classical Era mixed with Hindu and Buddhist statues.
Champs Élysées reproduction
The scale of the architectural reproductions varies significantly. Two major landmarks from Paris- the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Élysées are the two largest, and serve to orientate visitors.
Neon signage
The use of flashing and rotating neon signage to advertise the park recalls similar advertising for casinos in Las Vegas.

 

%d bloggers like this: