Changsha Trip | Tanhe Ancient City
Last week, while watching the animated film "Ne Zha" with Stone, the little guy asked many historical questions. It can be a headache for parents when a child is in the "why" stage. So I decided to book tickets and take him to touch history!
This time we came to Ningxiang Tanhe Ancient City, the Bronze Land of South China, where national treasures like the Four-Ram Square Zun and the Human-Face Square Ding were unearthed. It is China's first Zhou Dynasty cultural theme park.
Upon entering the park, my son and I changed into Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) and began our time-travel journey.
1. Eternal Love of Tanhe (Tanhe Qian Gu Qing):
This is a must-see. It is a performance about the history and culture of the Western Zhou Dynasty, composed of sound, light, electricity, and dance. The storyline is based on the legend of the Four-Ram Square Zun. The entire show is elaborately designed with a gripping plot. If you like the story of "Fengshen Bang" (Investiture of the Gods), you will find many familiar faces and episodes here.
2. Western Zhou Palace Area:
The concept of "Huaxia" originated in the Western Zhou Dynasty. We can no longer know what the Western Zhou palace looked like three thousand years ago, but here you can see its closest representation. It was built according to the specifications recorded in "Kao Gong Ji" (The Artificers' Record). Stepping into it gives an illusion of traveling back three thousand years. It is a must-visit for friends interested in the history of the Zhou Dynasty.
3. Flash Mob Show:
At 1:30 PM, while we were walking on the street interacting with llamas, a group of young men and women dressed in costumes from different dynasties suddenly gathered from the crowd. As the music started, an energetic flash mob began. After dancing, the surrounding crowd was pulled in to sing and dance along. Stone jumped the most joyfully!
4. Earthquake:
"Earthquake," created based on the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, always touches me deeply every time I watch it. In the face of danger, how fragile and yet how strong humans are. I pay tribute to the firefighters, soldiers, and medical workers who sacrificed themselves to save others in times of crisis!
5. Children's Paradise:
This part was Stone's favorite. A family amusement park with bubble shows, ball pits, family roller coasters, bumper cars, carousels, magic jungle, etc. All fun activities are free to play.
6. Electric Music Water Splashing Festival:
After watching "Earthquake," we were attracted by the stunning music. It turned out that the Electric Music Water Splashing Festival was about to start. The band was playing passionately on stage, and a small-scale water splashing carnival had already begun in the audience. At around 7 PM, with the command to start the water splashing carnival on stage, the whole venue reached its climax. The impatient audience began splashing water wildly in the world of spraying water. People soaked to the skin twisted their bodies to the electronic dance music, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Tanhe Ancient City is located on Huangcai Avenue, Ningxiang, Changsha City. It is about 100 kilometers from Changsha Airport, a drive of about two hours. It is recommended to rent a car; taking a taxi is not cost-effective. Of course, you can also take a bus, but it is a bit slower. We rented a car after landing, costing over 100 yuan a day excluding fuel.
There are many accommodation options around the scenic area, which can be booked online. We didn't stay there, so we can't give advice. You can choose according to your needs.
Tickets purchased online one day in advance cost 160 yuan (including the Eternal Love of Tanhe show), while tickets purchased on the day cost 200 yuan (including the show). There is also a separate on-site ticket for 60 yuan (excluding the show), and 55 yuan online in advance (excluding the show).
