GUANGZHOU – History is not just to be read; it's to be tasted, seen and lived. On Sunday, Guangzhou will unveil a new cultural and culinary experience: Haisi Fu (Ode to the Maritime Silk Road, 海丝赋), the city's first immersive dining show.
Located on Changzhou Island (长洲岛), the production takes guests on a 90-minute sensory voyage along the ancient trade routes that once made Guangzhou a global hub.
Centered on the return of Ming Dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371–1433) from a treasure voyage, the show pairs theatrical scenes with “delicacies from land and sea,” according to a post on the WeChat public account of the producer, Huangpu Cultural Group (黄埔文化集团).
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The show fuses fine dining, theatrical performance and interactive immersion, breaking the traditional boundary between stage and audience. Guests may don themed costumes and become part of the spectacle.
The format follows a wider “culture plus dining” trend seen in popular themed restaurants such as Gongyan (Palace Banquet, 宫宴) in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou, and Shuyan Fu (Ode to Sichuan Banquet, 蜀宴赋) in Chengdu – venues whose visitors frequently amplify their experiences online.
Haisi Fu arrives as Guangzhou deepens its engagement with Maritime Silk Road heritage through experiential tourism. The menu highlights local Cantonese and Southeast Asian Chinese cuisines, reinforcing the city’s historical maritime links.
Two dining sessions are offered daily (luncheon 12:30-2 pm; dinner 6:30-8 pm). Early-bird packages, priced from 199 yuan ($28.8), are available for booking through the WeChat mini-program of Changzou Wenlyu (长洲文旅) or Haisi Fu’s social accounts on Douyin, Meituan and Dianping.
Partake in the pageantry through the lens of China Daily photographer Parker Zheng.
