Chongqing is known for its hot and spicy cuisine but from now until March, locals and visitors can also savor sweet chocolate in the city. Luo Wangshu and Tan Yingzi take a tour of the World Chocolate Wonderland.
The chocolate factory has come to Southwest China, but without eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka from the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Chocolate theme park World Chocolate Wonderland arrived in Chongqing on Dec 30 and will remain until March 31, offering a visual and sweet feast to locals and tourists. "I had so much fun today," 20-year-old Guo Xueyu says, adding that immersing herself in a sweet chocolate kingdom is one of her dreams come true.
Guo, accompanied by her boyfriend Wang Yi, visited the wonderland on the opening day.
"She loves chocolate. It is also a special food between lovers," Wang says.
The young love birds say they had an amazing time seeing chocolate used in weird and wonderful ways and participating in fun games. More importantly, "I can eat as much chocolate as I like, and forget about dieting just for one day," she says.
The theme park is located in Yongchuan city, Chongqing, and the entrance ticket is 80 yuan ($13).
Just like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there is a tunnel in the World Chocolate Wonderland. A chocolate-colored castle is among the amazing surprises that await visitors. The chocolate park has seven pavilions, including one for chocolate-made Chinese culture, a DIY activity area and a delicious tasting corner.
The Chinese culture pavilion attracts many visitors. More than 400 chocolate Terracotta Warriors are neatly lined up in a square, looking as if they are about to march to war. But, weighing 4 kilograms each, these 30-centimeter-tall warriors are edible.
Another piece that draws attention in this section is the 12-meter-long chocolate replica of Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, one of the few surviving works by the painter Huang Gongwang (1269-1354) which is considered to be among his greatest works.
At the DIY areas, visitors can pick up chocolate syrup and molds from the tourist center. Simply pour the syrup into the molds, send them to the cooler, wait for 20 minutes, and you will get your self-made chocolate - ready to be eaten.
Staff members dressed like Snow White are seen in the wonderland, playing guessing games with children. Lucky children who beat Snow White will be rewarded with gifts.
Zou Yang, a 37-year-old father working in real estate, is impressed with the chocolate park.
"Chocolate is my girl's favorite. The color and design of the park are well-shaped and decorated. My kid loves it," says Zou, who spent a day in the park with his 2-year-old daughter.
Shi Xuelian and her 3-year-old son also enjoyed themselves.
"The park incorporates interactive programs, allowing children and visitors to participate. Although my boy is young, I can see that he is more engaged and takes the initiative to interact," the 32-year-old says.
She also believes that the chocolate-made Chinese culture symbols, such as the Terracotta Warriors and Buddha statues, will give children a taste of the great combination of Eastern and Western cultures. "The fine innovative chocolate artworks are not only attractive to children but also to us adults," she says.
The World Chocolate Wonderland is China's first chocolate theme park. Founded in Beijing in 2010, the exhibit has already toured six cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei, attracting 2 million visitors.
Chongqing is its seventh stop.
Tina Cheng, the founder of the wonderland, believes that using chocolate as raw material to make art works is a way to teach people about chocolate culture. "Chocolate is not only a food, a sweet snack you can buy at grocery stores or the airport. It also contains culture, which I hope to tell people through the exhibit," she says.
Cheng says the inspiration behind the chocolate theme park was initiated in 2008.
"People were depressed because of the economic crisis then. I wanted to create an exhibit to cheer people up," she says.
Chocolate theme parks are also popular in the United States. The famous Hershey's Chocolate World Attraction, located in Pennsylvania, attracts visitors from all over the world.
"We have received tour invitations from Europe and the United States. I am glad that the birthplace of chocolate approves our innovative works," she says, referring to the Chinese and oriental flavor of the theme park.
Contact the writers through luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn.
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Chocolate Terracotta Warriors at the World Chocolate Wonderland in Chongqing. Photos by Gao Yuan / for China Daily |
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Visitors enjoy making chocolate at the theme park. |
(China Daily USA 01/23/2014 page8)
