Shanghai Songcheng Dress-Up: Step into Chiung Yao's Rainy Republican Era, with Practical Tips

Foreword: Do you still remember the song 'Misty Rain'? Do you remember Ruping from Auntie Chiung Yao's works? I'm sure many post-80s remember. Back then, 'Romance in the Rain' was a household name. In our generation's memory, Ruping and Yiping were idols. We teared up at the plot, hated Aunt Xue's bossiness, and envied their love... After watching the drama, we often role-played with besties—someone as Yiping, someone as Ruping, someone as Aunt Xue. But conditions were poor: no cheongsam, few props, and certainly no old Shanghai sets. We made do. The wheel of time has carried us away from the 'Romance in the Rain' era, but that childhood admiration for the idols lives on. Now we don't have to settle—we can stage our own show. Cheongsams, hair clips, old Shanghai sets are no longer hard to find. When I discovered a place with all these props, my bestie and I decided to step into old Shanghai and play Ruping once more.

Shanghai Songcheng

The place I'm talking about is Shanghai Songcheng, a new Instagram-worthy spot in Shanghai tourism that truly fulfills our dream of a misty rainy romance.

Shanghai Songcheng is located in the Huangpu River Expo Park area. It’s an unimaginably innovative performing arts park with personalized shows for all ages and styles, multiple flexible spaces, and a performance plaza that can hold tens of thousands of people. Its flagship show 'The Romance of Shanghai' is Songcheng's most promising IP megaproject, a must-see performance in a lifetime!

My bestie and I met on the banks of the Huangpu River, stepped into Shanghai Songcheng, and embarked on a theme journey back to the Republican era~

How to Play at Shanghai Songcheng

The entire performance plaza has seven floors. On the 1st floor, both indoors and outdoors offer entertainment: outdoors there's the Forest Theater, Bird Show Theater, Music Plaza, and Magic Street. Don’t miss the 'Punk Flash Mob' and 'Color Water-Splashing Party'—especially at the night session; they're well worth it. On hot summer days, the outdoor water play cools you down and relieves stress, suitable for all ages. 'Hello! Chaplin' involves lots of interaction with kids, who happily crowd around the magician. Outside the plaza, there's also a 'Brave Path' pool for those wanting a challenge.

Indoors, there are the 'Earthquake' theater, 'Ghost Ship,' and 'Warfire'—a bit spooky, but even the timid can try. At the 1st-floor entrance, there's a costume rental shop; I felt the cheongsams here were more vibrant than those on the 4th floor. The earlier you change, the sooner you enjoy!

On the 2nd and 3rd floors, you'll find performances of 'The Romance of Shanghai' and 'WA! Dinosaurs,' plus a parent-child craft activity 'Happy Art Workshop'—all great for kids. The 4th floor's 'Time Travel Street 1921' is a distinctive immersive photo spot. Change into an old Shanghai cheongsam and stroll through the Confidential Bureau, Ruping and Aunt Xue's mansion, a Japanese geisha house—every corner is Instagram-worthy.

The 5th floor is the River View area. Watching cruise ships on the Huangpu River gives you the feeling of being on a cruise yourself—another great photo spot. The 6th floor's 'Sky Street' is richly decorated in Turkish style. There’s a crystal ball acrobatics show, plus quirky photo studios like the Upside-Down House, Slanted House, Flash House, and Invisibility House—fun for all ages. You can also buy exotic gifts with a Western flair as souvenirs.

The 7th floor has the Cliff Theater where you can enjoy ballet and violin performances while taking in the Huangpu River view, cultivating your artistic taste in a superb atmosphere. There's also the Elf House, most popular with kids: it looks like Snow White's cottage with the seven dwarfs, with interior furnishings and a projection screen showing the four seasons—truly a fairy-tale world.

Special Recommendations

'The Romance of Shanghai' special show is in Theater 1, spanning floors 2F-3F. Prepared audience members enter from 2F; latecomers need to go to the 3F entrance. Shows are at 14:00 and 20:00, admission by ticket. If you bought tickets with your ID on another platform, you can simply scan your ID to enter. The high-tech stage features waterfalls, artillery fire, and undersea scenes, transporting you to old Shanghai. A train drives into the theater, and 3,000 tons of Huangpu River water gush down, delivering a visual and emotional shock.

'WA! Dinosaurs' is perfect for families, with lots of interaction and very realistic props that leave kids wanting more. Only one show a day: at 15:40, so parents, plan your time—this show requires a separate ticket.

'Earthquake' tells a small story from the Wenchuan earthquake. If you get teary-eyed easily, bring tissues. To feel the shaking, sit in the front rows—it's quite intense. Before the show, audience members are invited on stage as extras: firefighters, soldiers, nurses, civilians. The rehearsal is hilarious, with great audience interaction; the actual performance is stunning and emotional, a tribute to the People's Liberation Army and our great motherland.

'Time Travel Street' Step out of the 4th-floor elevator, and you’ve traveled back to the reform era, pre-liberation, and a Japanese-style house. Nearby, there’s a cheongsam rental shop. After dressing up and taking photos, you’ll feel that 'Romance in the Rain' vibe. Costume rental: 168 yuan; rental + makeup: 218 yuan—very reasonable. The makeup artists are attentive, creating authentic old Shanghai looks. Kids can also rent Hanfu and look super cute. The scenes are highly photogenic; even phone photos look like professional shots.

Night Tour of Songcheng: Maximize the Fun

The most sizzling highlight is the night tour. In the scorching summer, you can opt for a night visit to Shanghai Songcheng. After entering at 5pm, head to Magic Street on the 1st floor for local snacks and nostalgic shops—dad’s toys, mom’s snacks—perfect as souvenirs.

The 2nd-floor dining options are diverse: noodles, Shanghai home-style dishes, spicy hot pot, fresh juices—all tasty, affordable, and at market-level prices. After eating, go to the 7th-floor Cliff Theater to shoot 'Sky Mirror'—every shot is a masterpiece.

At dusk, around 18:40, there’s a beautiful 'Flower Dance' at Sky Mirror: a few graceful swan-like dancers twirl to music. The scene is mesmerizing; once is never enough. If you catch a glorious sunset, you’re in for a visual treat!

Don’t miss the 'Punk Flash Mob' at 18:50 on Magic Street. The performers in cosplay outfits are stunningly good-looking. There’s a laser show and a DJ calling out, like an open-air 857 (club vibe). If you love raving, you can dance and take photos with the cast.

Right after, walk through Magic Street to Music Plaza for the 'Color Water-Splashing Party.' Bring swimwear or a change of clothes, or buy a raincoat on-site. Then three handsome foreign drummer boys start the summer carnival with their drumsticks. Long-legged Russian and other international beauties perform passionate dance shows—the hottest backup dancers, the prettiest girls, the coolest night.

After the show, the biggest water fight party kicks off. Everyone, regardless of age or gender, can join. And the coolest part? It’s not just the water fight—when the host announces, high-pressure water jets spray from all directions onto the center. Neon lights flash, water columns dance, and what’s with all those raincoats?

Honestly, raincoats are trivial. What matters is the process we enjoy—it’s not just a summer cool-off, but a release, a letting go, a total liberation! Let’s get wild!

Practical Tips

1. Grab a guide map at the park entrance. The big screen by the 1st-floor elevator shows the schedule for all theater shows. Plan your time so you don’t miss any performance.

2. Don’t miss the Cliff Theater on the top floor at sunset—you can capture the Sky Mirror effect. Evening scenery along the Huangpu River with the breeze will yield gorgeous photos.

3. For the outdoor Color Water-Splashing Party on the 1st floor, bring swimwear or a change of T-shirt and shorts, and a raincoat. If not, you can buy them there. Remember sun protection.

Tickets: Adult ticket 379 yuan (includes 'The Romance of Shanghai'), parent-child ticket (1 adult + 1 child) 658 yuan, (2 adults + 1 child) 999 yuan. Book one day in advance! Prices subject to day of purchase. Night tour adult ticket: 198 yuan, 158 yuan if bought in advance; valid after 17:00.

Address: No. 1750, Expo Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai

Transport: Metro Line 13, Expo Avenue Station, Exit 1, 8-minute walk.

Hours: 10:00–22:00

Note: All performance times are subject to the park’s daily announcement. Pay attention upon entry, but before each show, announcements will tell you the time, location, and content. Just relax and have fun!

Closing Words

After the wild party, we climbed back to the 7th-floor Sky Mirror. By then, the neon lights on both sides of the Huangpu River were fully lit, glittering enchantingly. Though this was a time-traveling experience, we still live in the present. We have nostalgia, but also hopes for a beautiful future. The present is our life; time travel is merely a flavor enhancer. This time at Shanghai Songcheng, we relived our nostalgia, enjoyed varied performances, experienced diverse interactions, and partied hard.

Standing here, gazing into the distance, the song 'Shanghai Nights' echoes in my ears—dreamy, dazzling, yet so real. Actually, living in Shanghai is pretty wonderful!