Shanghai Songcheng Has Exploded onto the Scene — How Exactly Should You Explore It? Here’s a One-Day Guide to Keep Handy

The long-awaited Shanghai Songcheng has finally opened!

As a diehard fan of Songcheng, I’ve been to the 千古情 shows in Hangzhou, Sanya, and Lijiang. The performances in every city are spectacular, so how could I miss the one right on my doorstep in Shanghai?

Shanghai Songcheng is located in the Expo Park area along the Huangpu River, with the main building being a six-storey structure.

Transportation is very convenient: take Metro Line 10 from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, transfer at Xintiandi Station to Line 13 to Shibo Avenue Station, and it’s just a three-minute walk from the station to Shanghai Songcheng.

The park’s opening hours are 10:00–21:00. I arrived around 11:00, and from entering until leaving around 8:00 pm, an incredibly rich programme of events unfolded one after another — a single day was barely enough.

I had booked two VIP-seat tickets for *Shanghai 千古情* online in advance; the show ticket includes park admission. Once at the park, you simply use your ID to collect the tickets — very convenient.

Right at the entrance of Shanghai Songcheng, there’s a costume-change hall. You can slip into a qipao and slowly wander through the park.

At first, everything can feel a bit bewildering. Remember to grab a park map when you enter so you can plan your time around the shows.

I’ve sorted out what’s on each floor to make things clearer at a glance.

**First floor:** Ghost Ship, War, Costume-Change Hall, Theater No. 5 (*Hot Samba*), Theater No. 2 (*WA! Dinosaurs*), Magic Street, Sky Dome, Snack Plaza, restaurant

**First floor outdoor area:** Colourful Forest (Search for the Jurassic), Forest Theatre (*Miracle*, *Magic Bubble Show*), Music Square, Water Play Pool, Bird Show Theatre (*Forest Divine Birds*), Performance Park

**Second floor:** Songcheng Story Exhibition Hall, small theatre cluster, café, restaurant

**Third floor:** Art exhibition space

**Fourth floor:** Theater No. 1, Theater No. 3 (venue for *Shanghai 千古情*), Costume-Change Hall, Shenhu Origin Bar, Modern Era

**Fifth floor:** Performance Research and Development Centre

**Sixth floor:** Slanted House, Side House, Invisibility House, VR Experience Hall (*Moonlight Box*), Storm Eye, Arabian Nights, Heavenly Street Market (*Magic Lamp Flash Mob*, *Crystal Ball*), Theater No. 6 (*High Show*), Sky Club Bar

**Seventh floor terrace:** Sky City (*Spirit of Water*), Glass Observation Deck, Cliff Theatre (*Flower Dance*), Elf Cave, Elf Valley, Elf Restaurant, Fantasy Space, slide, small theatre, Liaozhai Horror

Among these, Theater No. 1 and No. 3 (*Shanghai 千古情*), Theater No. 2 (*WA! Dinosaurs*), Theater No. 5 (*Hot Samba*), and Theater No. 6 (*High Show*) are all paid shows; the rest are free.

- Shanghai Songcheng + main show *Shanghai 千古情* – Regular seat ¥399, VIP seat ¥499

- Shanghai Songcheng + High Show *Colour* – ¥399

- Shanghai Songcheng + dining show *Hot Samba* – ¥399

- Shanghai Songcheng + kids’ show *WA! Dinosaurs* – one adult + one child ¥399

First, I went to see the Ghost Ship and War, which guys tend to enjoy. Walking down a long corridor with a strong time-tunnel vibe brought me to the First-Floor Snack Plaza.

It was already lunchtime, so I grabbed a bite before exploring further.

The snack plaza on the first floor has an ice cream shop, a dessert shop, BBQ grills, griddle cake stalls, and even a “supply and marketing cooperative” selling snacks.

Overhead, the ever-changing sky dome displays all sorts of dreamy scenes. Biting into a grilled chicken wing and looking up, I saw whales swimming back and forth.

If you fancy a coffee or pasta, the second floor has a spacious café.

Apart from the café and the Songcheng Story Exhibition Hall, most of the second floor is taken up by a restaurant. They serve spicy pot, fruit snacks, and Shanghai-style stir-fried dishes — quite a selection.

The second-floor restaurant also has an outdoor area. You can, like I did, watch the Huangpu River while having lunch. The temperature was 25°C — neither too cold nor too hot, very pleasant.

The large-scale song-and-dance performance *Shanghai 千古情* is the soul of the Shanghai Songcheng Performing Kingdom · Expo Park Stage, and it’s a must-see when visiting Shanghai Songcheng. It runs four times daily, so you can choose a time that suits your schedule.

The entire *Shanghai 千古情* is divided into five acts: *Tracing Shen & Hu*, *1921*, *Modern Era*, *Shanghai Families*, and *Wind from the Sea*.

I caught the 16:40 show that day, and the theatre was packed. After every act, thunderous applause erupted. The performance superbly brings to life Shanghai’s red culture, Haipai culture, and Jiangnan culture.

**Act I: Tracing Shen & Hu**

“Over 2,000 years ago, Shanghai became the fief of Lord Chunshen — Huang Xie — one of the ‘Four Gentlemen of the Warring States’. At that time, the river often flooded, and people suffered greatly. Lord Chunshen led the people in taming the waters, and this spirit of defying hardships and forging ahead became a cornerstone of the Shanghai spirit.

To commemorate Lord Chunshen’s enduring deeds and the great wisdom of Shanghai’s forebears, later generations used ‘Shen’ and the fishing tool ‘Hu’ to refer to Shanghai.”

So that’s how ‘Shen’ and ‘Hu’ came about — really informative! The opening dance was very fresh and graceful.

**Act II: 1921**

“From the white-walled, black-tiled Jiangnan water town to the busy port opened to foreign trade, young girl Qiaoqiao comes to eventful Shanghai in search of her childhood sweetheart lover. Amidst internal strife and foreign aggression, with the nation in peril, she finds her revolutionary faith.

The year 1921 was destined to be a highlight in Shanghai’s history, as the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China solemnly proclaimed the Party’s birth, making Shanghai the launchpad of the red revolution.”

A small story opens up a grand backdrop. Qiaoqiao’s fate, propelled by the times, proved deeply moving.

**Act III: Modern Era**

“The dazzling ‘Ten-Li Yangchang’ — in the 1930s, Shanghai was hailed as ‘Asia’s Greatest Metropolis’. After the Mukden Incident, the three northeastern provinces and much of North China fell one after another. Even the flourishing Bund faced moments of crisis; behind the glitz and glamour, undercurrents swirled.

With the full-scale outbreak of the Battle of Shanghai, Qiaoqiao, following the Party’s directives, organised the Shanghai cultural circles’ field medical team and plunged into the anti-Japanese rescue effort.”

“Night Shanghai / Night Shanghai / You’re a city that never sleeps / Lights go up / Music plays / A world of song and dance.”

This act brilliantly captures the nighttime revelry of 1930s Shanghai. Amidst the water curtains, the singing woman exuded charm and elegance.

The *Modern Era* act was utterly spectacular: ballet, laser lights, contortionist acts… one climax after another, uninterrupted applause.

Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed a human could bend like that.

I have to say, the costumes and stagecraft of the 千古情 series are truly exquisite. Words like ‘visual feast’ can’t do it justice — you have to experience it in person.

**Act IV: Shanghai Families**

“Through the flames of the War of Resistance and the Liberation War, Shanghai welcomed the founding of New China, and Qiaoqiao’s life became closely intertwined with the city. From the ‘Up to the Mountains, Down to the Countryside’ movement to supporting the ‘Third Front’ to Reform and Opening Up, the growth of Qiaoqiao’s family reflects Shanghai’s transformation and the sacrifices and dedication of its people. This is the Shanghai spirit, the sense of responsibility of Shanghainese!”

This was the most touching act. One family, one mother and three children, each with a different fate.

The eldest daughter leaving home for northeast China, the son dying in a factory accident, the youngest daughter working in a textile mill… The New Year’s Eve dinner where the family could not reunite, a mother’s heartache, brought tears to my eyes once again.

The textile workers scene was so creative! Visually, it was absolutely dreamlike.

**Act V: Wind from the Sea**

“The world gathers here, East meets West. The brilliance of the World Expo still echoes, while Pudong strides forward in development and opening up.

Wind from the sea — on the magnificent journey of China’s new era, Shanghai stands tall in the East with an open, innovative and inclusive new face.”

Today’s international metropolis, Shanghai, bustles with energy. The night views along the Huangpu River are dazzling. In just one hour inside the *Shanghai 千古情* theatre, I experienced Shanghai’s past and present, marvelling at how much had been achieved against all odds.

Beyond the unmissable *Shanghai 千古情*, there are even more distinctive shows such as the High Show *Colour*, *WA! Dinosaurs*, and *Hot Samba* — I’ll save those to tick off one by one on my next visits.

In Shanghai Songcheng, there are two sculptures of red chairs — one in the garden and one on the terrace. They’re iconic symbols, so be sure to take a commemorative photo there too.

At Shanghai Songcheng, you can also order a drink or a cocktail and enjoy the beautiful Huangpu River scenery as boats glide back and forth and the Oriental Pearl Tower stands on the opposite bank.

The terrace on the seventh floor is perfect for that “I was here” shot, with the Huangpu River and Shanghai’s tallest building in the background. If you’re there around nightfall, it’s even more beautiful.

I caught a jazz performance at the Music Square on the first floor — the atmosphere was fantastic.

At the Cliff Theatre on the seventh-floor terrace, a show called *Flower Dance* is also not to be missed. When ballet meets the flourishing metropolis of Shanghai, the result is soft yet magnificent.

Shanghai Songcheng is ideal for couples, families and parent-child outings. If you’re bringing children, loads of attractions are very suitable.

The outdoor water play pool on the first floor constantly echoes with children’s laughter.

In the wooded area outdoors, many tents are set up for visitors to rest. The Colourful Forest and Forest Theatre are nearby, both offering family-friendly shows.

At the Bird Show Theatre, *Forest Divine Birds* features performances by various parrots — skateboarding, flag-raising, cycling parrots — they are so clever!

The Elf Valley on the terrace has several low houses that whisk you into a fairy-tale world. Inside, miniature sofas and dining tables are perfect photo spots.

There’s also a hilarious clown show with strong audience interaction, a real hit with kids.

As a woman, my favourite was the Modern Era scene on the fourth floor — in an instant, you travel back in time to 1920s–30s Shanghai.

I also adored the “Heavenly Street Market” on the sixth floor, where all sorts of quirky little items are sold, brimming with exotic charm.

Additionally, there are many interactive games like Storm Eye, Slanted House, Side House, and Invisibility House — I gave them all a go.

The entire Shanghai Songcheng park is like a giant blind box: everyone can piece together different routes and ways to play according to their own preferences.

Come and start your own one-day adventure at Shanghai Songcheng!

**Address:** No. 1750 Shibo Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai.

**Public transport:** Take Metro Line 13, alight at Shibo Avenue Station; or take Metro Line 8 to China Art Museum Station and walk to the park.