If you're looking for a place in Hangzhou where you can spend a whole day without getting bored, then the thousand-year-old Songcheng is a must-visit. This guide picks out the best shows at Songcheng to create a wonderful journey through time for you. Once you arrive at Songcheng, the most popular show, The Romance of the Song Dynasty, is an absolute must-see.

Known as a once-in-a-lifetime show, it's also one of the world's three greatest shows. Set against Hangzhou's thousand-year history and culture, it blends Liangzhu culture, the prosperity and battles of the Southern Song, and beautiful love legends, linking Hangzhou's key historical moments and classic legends together into a true visual feast.

If The Romance of the Song Dynasty is the soul of Songcheng, then Earthquake is the tearjerker that hits you right in the heart. Based on the Wenchuan earthquake, this short performance shows you the devastation when disaster strikes and the earth-shaking rescue efforts that follow. Love Song of Lijiang is a show at Songcheng performed on an open-air live set, a tear-jerking romance blending fire and water.

It tells a poignant and heroic love story. Though the whole story lasts only about twenty minutes, it feels complete, perfectly expressing the emotions of love, sacrifice, and righteousness. Want to join a massive dance party?

Then you have to see Songcheng's Time-Travel Flash Mob. There are no requirements; anyone can join in. It's not a formal sit-down performance, but a street carnival that takes just five minutes to get you totally hyped.

Miss Wang Throws the Embroidered Ball is a street performance combining ancient marriage customs with modern comedy. You'll see the scene described in movies and novels of a noble lady throwing her embroidered ball. The parent-child show WA!

Dinosaurs is a dream-come-true experience at Songcheng built just for kids. This family show cleverly mixes science facts with adventure stories, making it the ultimate kid-friendly activity. At Hangzhou Songcheng, you can also see authentic traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage performances like shadow puppetry.

Under the artisans' skilled hands, every character comes alive, and every performance is amazing. If you want to enjoy this ancient art form, don't miss it. The Fish Lantern Parade is a moving visual feast staged at Songcheng at night.

When the lights go down, fish lanterns light up across Songcheng, slowly drifting through the ancient streets. Walking down the street then, you step right into a living Southern Song lantern festival. If you still don't know how to enjoy Songcheng, just go watch these shows.

After experiencing them, you'll definitely be left wanting more.