Yangcun Little World

　　Yangcun Little World is located west of Yangcun Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin, situated between Tianjin and Beijing, by the Grand Canal, and near the exit of the Jintang Expressway. It enjoys convenient transportation, fresh air, and a strong rural ambiance.

　　Yangcun Little World was proposed in late 1988 by Mr. Yang Shihua, general manager of a foreign-related hotel in Beijing. With the support of Madame Kang Keqing, honorary chairperson of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, and the specific help and guidance of staff from various embassies in China such as those of the United States, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, India, Canada, and Ecuador, as well as the care of the Tianjin and Wuqing county governments and the efforts of collaborative units, after three years of hard work, Yangcun Little World began trial operations on May 18, 1991, and officially opened to the public on October 1, 1992. Leaders such as Lin Jiamei and members of the Tianjin CPPCC have visited and provided guidance. By the end of 1993, Yangcun Little World had received hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists and children, gaining widespread fame and being listed as one of Tianjin’s top ten key tourism projects.

　　Covering an area of 480 acres, the park is generally laid out according to the Earth's natural continents, featuring "five continents" and "four oceans" with alternating mountains and water. The mountains include the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, as well as America’s Mount Rushmore, France’s Mont-Saint-Michel, and Japan’s Mount Fuji. The waters feature the world’s largest ocean, the Pacific, along with the Atlantic, Indian, and the world’s largest river, the Amazon. Over 200 acres of water bodies are used not only for lotus planting, fish farming, sightseeing, and fishing but also offer Columbus cruise ship tours around the world. Famous bridges from around the globe connect the water and land areas of the park. Attractions are distributed reasonably and in an engaging layout. Miniature replicas of 113 attractions from over 80 countries, scaled at 1:1 to 1:50, are placed throughout the park. Winding paths shaded by lush trees combine Eastern and Western garden design elements.

　　While visiting the park, you can see representative miniature replicas of famous sights from various countries: ancient civilization landmarks include architectural wonders such as China’s Great Wall, Egypt’s Pyramids and Sphinx, Turkey’s Temple of Artemis, Mexico’s Castillo Pyramid, and Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. Modern architectural masterpieces include France’s Eiffel Tower and the glass pyramid in the Louvre, Australia’s Sydney Opera House, the Arab-style Kuwait Towers, and Hong Kong’s Cultural Centre. Memorial structures include Paris’s Arc de Triomphe commemorating Napoleon’s victory over Russia, India’s Taj Mahal symbolizing eternal love, and Taiwan’s Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Religious sites and churches feature Russia’s St. Basil’s Cathedral, Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda, Japan’s Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Iraq’s ancient Islamic minaret, Senegal’s Touba Mosque, and China’s Mazu Temple. Scientific and technological landmarks include Britain’s Greenwich Clock and Big Ben, Ecuador’s Mitad del Mundo (Equator Monument), and Uganda’s Equator marker.

　　Cultural landscapes showcasing foreign customs and life include Holland’s windmills, Spain’s windmills and Knight’s Hall with a statue of Don Quixote, Switzerland’s rural farmhouses, New Zealand’s indigenous dwellings, Finland’s doll museum, Oman’s incense burner sculpture, and Japanese tea houses.

　　Masterpieces of global sculpture art include Italy’s David statue, Poland’s Warsaw Mermaid, Denmark’s Little Mermaid, fountain sculptures in France’s Versailles Palace, Belgium’s “Manneken Pis” (The Peeing Boy), Singapore’s Merlion, Hong Kong’s “Egg and Dot,” Brazil’s Statue of Justice and the Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, America’s Statue of Liberty and the giant stone Mount Rushmore National Memorial. There is also the “Western Hundred-Meter Art Palace,” which houses hundreds of replicated world-class sculptures.

　　At Yangcun Little World, you can not only explore human history and learn about modern civilization to broaden your horizons but also enjoy recreation and leisure to relax both body and mind. Fun attractions with international flair, such as England’s Hampton Court Maze, Germany’s mini-golf course, Macau’s Grand Lisboa Casino and Lucky Cave, Gunfight City, Mirror Pavilion, Kids’ World, Water Park, and Future World, all offer endless entertainment. After playing, you can also sample snacks from different countries, such as American fried chicken and McDonald’s, Japanese sushi and sashimi, Middle Eastern grilled meat and Persian rice, Italian pizza and pasta.