China's coolest chocolate art

Chinese people are fascinated by weird theme parks. After wowing the world with the Angry Birds theme park, the country is now hosting another wonderland devoted to nothing but chocolate.

Dubbed the "world’s first chocolate theme park," World Chocolate Wonderland (世界巧克力梦公园) will showcase more than 200 chocolate art pieces over 3,500 square meters in Shanghai's Himalaya Art Museum from December 16 to February 19, 2012. 

Shanghai is the second stop for the traveling chocolate spectacular. Its debut show was held in Beijing in Janurary 2010, which ran for 73 days and attracted almost half a million visitors.

“We generated the idea of the World Chocolate Wonderland, [and] it is the first chocolate theme park in the world," said Paul Chao (赵静波), who is a deputy marketing manager of Beijing Artsource Planning, the event’s organizer.

The chocolate wonders

The awe-inspiring chocolate exhibits drew inspiration from various cultures around the globe.

Signature pieces include Bumblebee from “Transformers,” Shanghai’s Huangpu River (imagine that with chocolate), the Bund's architecture, Terracotta Warriors and LV handbags.

Chinese culture vultures also shouldn’t miss the full-scale chocolate reproductions of two massive Chinese paintings: “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains” (富春山居图), and “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” (清明上河图).

(Click the gallery above to see some of the chocolate pieces from World Chocolate Wonderland.)

However, the organizer did not disclose exactly how many chocolatiers were involved in the production of the exhibits or who they are. All we know is these items were made by “dozens of chocolate masters.”

Beijing Artsource Planning's general manager Zheng Yaoting (郑瑶婷) told People.com.cn during last year's Beijing show that the event was to serve as a platform for Chinese visitors to get to know chocolate's culture, which is considered "stylish" around the world. 

Other highlights

Besides chocolate art pieces, the indoor theme park will also invite chocolatiers to make different kinds of chocolate on the spot, from milk chocolate to truffle chocolate, or even wine chocolate.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to make their own mix of cocoa, milk and sugar under the instruction of professionals.

More on CNNGo: 10 adventures for chocoholics

According to Paul Chao of Beijing Artsource Planning, the company is currently planning a Hong Kong stop after Shanghai, but details of the Hong Kong show are yet to be announce.

World Chocolate Wonderland, December 16, 2011- February 19, 2012, Himalayas Center, No. 1- 4, Lane 1,188 Fangdian Lu, near Meihua Lu 芳甸路188号1弄1-4号, 近梅花路, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., RMB 100, +86 21 6106 9133, www.chocolatewonderland.com.cn