Shanghai Great World Amusement Park

　　Located at the intersection of Xizang South Road and Yan'an East Road. It was first built in 1917 and founded by Huang Chujiu. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was renamed “People’s Amusement Park,” reverted to its original name in 1958, changed to “Shanghai Youth Palace” in 1974, and reopened on January 25, 1981 as the “Great World Amusement Center.” The “Great World” was the largest indoor amusement park in Shanghai, known for its games, variety shows, and performances of northern and southern Chinese operas and folk arts. Since 2008, it has been closed for renovation, with the reopening date yet to be determined.

　　The Great World Amusement Center has a history of over 90 years. It was first built in 1917 and founded by Huang Chujiu. The “Great World” was once the most popular entertainment venue for citizens in old Shanghai, featuring numerous small stages that hosted a variety of operas, folk arts, singing and dancing, acrobatics, and other performances. There was also an open-air sky ride in the center, along with a cinema, shops, snack stalls, and Chinese and Western restaurants, allowing visitors to spend the whole day in the park. Later, the Great World was taken over by Huang Jinrong, a gang leader in old Shanghai, and fell into disrepute, tarnishing the image of the entertainment industry. After liberation, it was transformed into a place of leisure for the general public, retaining its focus on variety shows and traditional operas. Its down-to-earth style and diverse entertainment programs have long been popular among many local residents and tourists. The architecture of the “Great World” is quite distinctive, consisting of a multi-story hexagonal yellow tower supported by 12 pillars. The main building consists of three connected four-story structures, plus two auxiliary buildings. The overall layout is novel and unique.

　　The Great World Amusement Center is divided into four sections: “Amusement World,” “Exhibition World,” “Skills World,” and “Food World,” offering eight major series of entertainment programs. Especially noteworthy are the “Great World Arena” and “Guinness Record Challenge” introduced in the 1990s under the “Skills World,” which attracted master performers from across the country and set numerous national and world records for “firsts” and “onlys.” Its strong Shanghai-style cultural flavor and pursuit of modern entertainment facilities attract thousands of domestic and international guests. The Great World is the only venue in China that creates Guinness records and showcases related works.

　　The Great World Amusement Center is located at the intersection of Xizang Road and Yan'an Road. The “Great World” was first built in 1917, featuring variety shows, traditional operas, and folk arts, with its 12 funhouse mirrors being a unique attraction. The architecture of the “Great World” is quite distinctive, composed of a multi-story hexagonal yellow tower supported by 12 pillars. The main building consists of three interconnected four-story structures, plus two auxiliary buildings. The Great World Amusement Center is divided into four parts: “Amusement World,” “Exhibition World,” “Skills World,” and “Food World,” offering eight major series of entertainment programs. Especially the “Skills World,” with its “Great World Arena” and Guinness Record Challenge, has drawn master performers from all over the country.

　　Shanghai Great World is located on Xizang South Road in Huangpu District. Its architectural style is rather eclectic, mainly imitating Western classical styles but limited to the main gate, the columned hall, and the theater, while the interior features many traditional Chinese elements, making it a representative example of modern entertainment architecture. The exterior of the Great World is distinctive, with 12 pillars supporting a multi-story hexagonal yellow tower that is particularly eye-catching. The main building consists of three groups of four-story structures, two facing east-west and one facing south-north, plus two auxiliary buildings—a theater facing south-north and a dance studio facing west-east. It covers an area of 6,000 square meters with a floor space of 14,700 square meters. The layout of the Great World is unique: the five buildings are arranged in a concentric arc shape, with a central open-air theater in the middle mainly for acrobatics and magic performances. The main buildings are connected by a 100-meter-long sky bridge running north-south, with stairways linking the upper and lower levels. The northern part features rockeries and flower stands, including a fountain, waterside pavilion, and artificial waterfall.