On a quiet Saturday, why not go to the New Yuanming Palace in Zhuhai. It is close to big cities like Macau, Hong Kong and Zhuhai and still offers quite a big change of scenery. This park will surely take you to another era of China's history !
History
Located at the foot of the Lanpu Dashilin mountain,
covering an area of 1.4 square kilometers, the New Yuanming Palace (opened to the public in 1997) is a
reproduction of the imperial Yuanming Palace in Beijing, one of the
favorite gardens of the late emperors of the Qing dynasty. It was burnt
down and completely destroyed by British and French troops in 1860. The
New Yuanming Palace was built as a reminder of the glory and the bitter
history of ancient China and has been set up as a patriotism education
site. It also constantly hosts many large or
small performances presenting the ups and downs of the last dynasty of
China
The Park
The park is enlivened by performers dressed up as soldiers and court
ladies. In the evening, there is always a great show at a big outdoor
theatre behind the Lama Temple which can hold as many as 5,000 people.
The show is made up of several episodes including an Accession to the
Throne, Concubine Picking and Burning down of the Palace. There is also a
nice restaurant in the park where you can find some “imperial Qing
food”.
The New Yuanming Palace in Zhuhai recovered numerous scenic spots in their old construction style combined with modern features, including the complex of royal palaces, Fuhai Lake, Royal Food Street and shops in different types. Carriages, small trains, electric cars and electric boats are provided. A series of performances, such as “Emperor Ascending the Throne”, “Emperor's Wedding Ceremony in Qing Dynasty”, begin at 10:30 every morning at various scenic spots in the Palace. At 19:15 in the evening, the dancing drama “Oriental Pearl” is put on the stage at the Central Performance Square.
Fares and Ticketing
From October 17 2012, visitors to the New Yuan Ming Palace in Zhuhai will be
able to visit the park for free! In the past, visitors had to pay RMB
130 to enter.
The park is open from 9am to 6pm. Visitors are required to present their ID cards or Passports to get their free tickets. In light of the park's accommodation capacity, there will only be 15,000 people allowed to enter the park each day. According to a report by Guangzhou Daily, performances held in the park will still charge audiences.
Walking around the theme park can take you about 2 hours and English-speaking guide can be hired at the gate.
Going There
1. Take the bus No. 1, 13, 20, 25, 30, 40, 60, 99, 201 at the urban city to the park directly.
2. Take the shuttle tour bus at the Guangzhou Jinhan Bus Station to the park directly.
