Tourist Trap Alert! Hangzhou's Songcheng: Even Locals Say 'Nope!'

[Leslie Kunde]

I'll help you refine this piece of critical writing, so foreign friends can easily understand and get the key points!

• Many friends who have visited Hangzhou recently have had several complaints about “Songcheng.”

  • They spent approximately CNY 320 (~ USD 40) on tickets to enter the site, and most complaints followed, saying that the attractions were not worth the price and felt they were cheated.
  • Most likely, these tourists were taken in by untrustworthy online promotions like "give me a day, and I'll return a millennium!".

  (A bit of an explanation: Songcheng is an amusement park that attempts to recreate the appearance of times during the Song dynasty. The Song dynasty was a prosperous era long ago, around AD 960 to 1279.)

• The photos I located here were taken years ago with a cell phone, without any filter added; apparently, the scenes at the site may look worse than the pictures suggest.

  • Gripe One - Where's the "Song"?
    • Those billboards use the everyday simplified Chinese characters we write now, instead of the more characteristic traditional ones used in ancient times.
    • Besides, there're plenty of English and Japanese neon lights shining brightly. Honestly speaking, such taste is kinda tacky and not compatible with the elegance of "Song dynasty" at all!
  • Gripe Two - Too Small a District and Inappropriate Surroundings!
    *The actual district isn't large, and it feels like several small shopping streets during rural fairs, with some imitation houses built nearby.
    • More hilarious is that this scenic area is surrounded by modern skyscrapers! Imagine walking there, just about to get soaked in the "ancient elegance", but then looked up and saw the surrounding residential buildings, how would that kill the mood?

• Apparently, Songcheng has sued other local places (such as Kaifeng City and Ganzhou City) due to identical names (e.g., "Songcheng") or the inclusion of historical elements from the Song dynasty. This action feels somewhat like monopolizing the cultural IP of "Song dynasty", indicating lack of confidence.

• To be frank, regardless of those older generation uncles and aunts or young students, seldom will they go to this place in Hangzhou native.

  • It feels like a site built by private entrepreneurs with taste that is, shall we say, more rural and stage-like. There are shops inside selling merchandise in pseudo-historical imitation buildings.
  • The space itself is limited without much "Song" things inside, and it can be pretty regretful to spend over CNY 300 to enter.

• Watch Out! Key Points of Avoiding Being Cheated Here:

  • High Price, Yet Low Value Risk - The ticket costs CNY 320 ( roughly USD 40), but many people felt that the experience didn't measure up to its price.
    • How to Avoid - Before spending money, check out the genuine reviews of other tourists on different platforms, particularly those attached with photos under the "Poor Reviews" tab, rather than falling for the advertisement.
  • Potential Insufficiency of "Song Flavor" - Those who visit here with higher expectations on experiencing authentic Song dynasty feel frustrated.
    • You might see contemporary Chinese characters - simplified ones, instead of more elegant traditional forms.
    • Also, there may be some fairly contemporary, even tacky English and Japanese neon lights decoration in use.
    • Ways to avoid - Lower your expectations for “purist antiquity”. Or, if wanting to feast your eyes on real antiques or understanding real history better, head to the museums or authentic historical remains parks.
  • Scenic Area Scale & Surrounding Environment - Reality may show smaller touring scope than expected.
    • Such surroundings with lots of modern high-rise buildings adjacent could impact your feeling of ancient times.
    • Avoidance Strategy - Seek out panoramic photos of the tourist zone and the adjacent surrounding online so that you will have some anticipation of the actual environmental conditions.
  • Not Recommended By Local People - Many people in Hangzhou report seldom frequenting this spot.
    • Advice to Avoid - Be certain to ask the native employees of your hosting hotel, or get recommendations from Hangzhounese acquaintances, who are often likely to provide more useful travel tips.

• Honestly speaking, Hangzhou has so many beautiful natural landscapes (like West Lake), as well as lots of sites with real historical legacies to see; for this "Songcheng", it's not recommended at all; it's very easy to get scammed.

An ancient town with over 1000 years of history (the tag here is somewhat satirical) # Hangzhou # Songcheng # Ancient City Tourism Park # Travel Guide # Avoid Being Cheated # Ganzhou # Ganzhou Songcheng # Kaifeng # Songcheng # Qingming Shanghe Park

[Katrina Sporer]

Hangzhou's man-made Songcheng actually charges an entrance fee? You should come to Ganzhou! We have an authentic Jiangnan-style Song Dynasty city, dating back to the Northern Song, and it's free to explore! Even our city's drainage ditches are Song Dynasty originals. The Song city walls are free to walk on – we locals treat them like walking paths for our evening strolls.

[Felix Glover]

You might as well go straight to Kaifeng. The Dasong Wuxia City (Great Song Martial Arts City) combo ticket is only 60 yuan, and you can even watch the 'Datiehua' (iron-striking fireworks performance) and a mock city siege.

[Barry Kuphal]

If you want to talk about the real Songcheng, it should be centered on the imperial palace ruins at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Shangcheng District. Imagine a trail of authentic Southern Song historical sites: starting from Liuhe Pagoda in the southwest, going north past Baita Ridge, the Southern Song Imperial Kiln Museum, Bagua Tian (Eight Trigrams Field), Fantian Temple, the actual Southern Song Imperial Palace site at Phoenix Mountain's base, Laohudong Kiln Site, Liubu Bridge, the Imperial Ancestral Temple site, the Drum Tower, and finally Hefang Street. The key is to reconstruct the original Southern Song Imperial Palace. That's what would truly revitalize this whole cluster of historic locations.

[Lucia Feest]

Wow, you're really dreaming big! Do you have any idea how many residential communities are in that area? The cost of demolition and relocation alone would be enough to build hundreds of those Songcheng theme parks.

[Beulah Koelpin]

Huh? I remember visiting when I was very young, and it had a pretty strong ancient atmosphere. They even had 'casinos' and 'pleasure houses' (themed areas, of course!), and a 'Lost Ancient City' section. How did it end up like this?

[Kristopher Schultz PhD]

After all, it's a private enterprise designed to rake in cash.

[Alejandro Runolfsdottir]

As a Hangzhou local, I think it's actually okay. If you skip the 'Romance of the Song Dynasty' show, the entrance fee isn't that expensive. Plus, I remember coming here for school trips in spring and autumn when I was a kid.

[Pat Pagac]

Is it possible to buy a ticket that doesn't include the 'Romance of the Song Dynasty' show?

[Lena Oberbrunner]

I think it's quite good! It took me two visits to see all the performances. For the other parts, just strolling around and taking things in is perfectly fine – if you're not expecting too much, that is. However, I got in for 99 yuan. I guess those who feel really disappointed are the ones who paid full price and didn't think it was worth the money.

[Leslie Kunde]

So I guess locals probably wouldn't complain much, huh?

[Morris Schneider]

Any lingering hope I had is now officially dead.

[Miss Alison Collier]

I'm still torn between visiting Lu Xun's Former Residence in Shaoxing or Hangzhou's Songcheng.

[Mr. Carlton Johnston]

Give them a day, and you'll regret it for a thousand years.