Great Chocolate Wall: more than 1 million tourists are expected to visit the exhibit. Photo: Guo Yingguang
By Liuliu Xu
A psychedelic chocolate wonderland, not unlike a real-life Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, is set to open to the public near Beijing's National "Bird's Nest" Stadium on January 29.
The 20,000-square-meter theme park will feature five indoor exhibits- "Chocolates of the World," "Candies of the World," "Chocolate Wonderland," "Sweet Experiences" and "Sweet Gifts"-as well as two outdoor displays-"Sweet Stage" and "Sweet Shopping Street."
"We're planning to use 80 tons of chocolate to make this wonderland come true," said Tina Zheng, the park's general manager, hoping to bring sweetness to a bitterly cold winter.
"The theme park will be beyond imagination, featuring China's first chocolate car, the largest-ever chocolate waterfall and chocolate fashion bags."
Approximately 1.5 tons of dark chocolate will flow through the park's chocolate waterfall, which will be kept in a floating glasshouse that shines from crystal lights affixed to the exhibition hall's ceiling.
Edible Chinese icons, like a Great Wall made from dark-chocolate bricks held together with white chocolate and life-sized chocolate Terracotta Warriors, will also be on display at the "Chocolate Wonderland" exhibit.
A larger array of scaled mini-Terracotta Warriors, each 25 to 35 centimeters tall fixed in arrow shooting and wagon riding poses, will be on display as well.
Aside from requiring tricky engineering work to prevent chocolate structures from collapsing, maintaining a safe temperature for the sweet treat can be difficult as well.
"If the temperature of the chocolate falls below zero it will crack. If it rises above 18 degrees it will start to melt," said Wang Shen, technical consultant for the temporary exhibition. "We have to be careful when moving the chocolate bricks since our bodies are definitely warmer than 18 degrees."
The park will also feature DIY chocolates booths for chocoholics to learn how to make their own dessert treats.
The theme park is expected to draw over 1 million visitors and shoppers between the months of February and April, which includes the Spring Festival and Valentine's Day.
But unlike Willy Wonka's factory, visitors will not be required to purchase tons of candy bars in search of a golden ticket to enter the theme park. Tickets will soon be available for purchase online that will feature bilingual hot-lines.
Organizers have said that the day before the official opening of the theme park there will be a fashion show, featuring clothing partially made from chocolate materials.
Where: North of the Bird's Nest When: January 29 to April 10 Tickets: 80 yuan (60 for seniors) Contact: 6417-784
