At the beginning of May, Danwei linked to a story about Shijingshan amusement park in western Beijing. As you can see from the photo to the left and from the park’s website, there has been some er, inspiration from Disneyland.
The duck image reproduced here is from Japan Probe, which has a summary of the story as reported in Japanese media and plenty of photos and video clips from Japanese TV.
A Taiwanese blogger named Sen Lin (森林) has written a tongue-in-cheek defence of Shijingshan Amusement Park (use this link in China).
The piece is facetious, but sounds exactly like ostensibly serious arguments you hear in China every day.
Guest contributor Zhang Xiaomin translated Sen Lin’s post.
Disney Step Aside, Shijingshan Amusement Park Rules!
by Sen Lin, translated by Zhang Xiaomin
It was Mr. Walter that made Disney, a family name, into the synonym of joy. Every year, the number of tourists visiting the Disneyland is more than the total population of some small countries. Everybody wants to go to the Disneyland, and over and over again, to see the smiling faces of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and to play in the “beyond-exciting-but not yet-horrifying” Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. It is as if once you get there, all the stress from real life is shot into the sky alongside the fireworks from the parade. How pleasant and relaxing!
However, Disneyland is after all a huge capitalist project. It is not a small neighborhood park that you can take a leisurely stroll in after work. Nor is it an outdoor free show that you can see with empty pockets. A tall capitalist wall blocks its entrance. A 5,800-Yen ticket can buy 60 rice balls in Japan. Not to mention the journey to Disneyland is so long. Enthusiastic Taiwanese tourists jam up Narita Airport’s Customs entrance everyday. Disneyland is after all a dream within a dream. Only when timing, logistics and the people (“the sky, the earth and the man”) match, one can get to experience its charm.
Therefore, we need Shijingshan. A big red fabric banner hanging outside the entrance to Shijingshan Amusement Park reads like this, “Disney is too far away. Come to Shijingshan Amusement Park.” The pierces through the bourgeois people’s deflated and pathetic psyches, as well as their wallets. This is a dream transcending reality!
This is not Disneyland. This is the king of amusement parks — Shijingshan Amusement Park.
Although Shijingshan’s Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck seem to have some defect, happy kids still wave to them. Although the unshaved face of Hello Kitty indicates that he had a long night the day before, the number of families that ask for photographs with him is not any smaller.
Maybe you would say the quality of these cartoon figures is too low. Shhhhhh! That is forbidden, Miss! That is not only a cartoon character. That is Mickey Mouse! Live! He came to Shi Jing Shan on business from thousands of miles away despite his twenty-year mortgage and spoiled daughter at home. But look, the Mickey Mouse is still diligently holding his head (which must be aching badly) and walking around. To think that only in Shi Jing Shan can one see such a realistic side of life!
Japanese Media’s Overreaction
What! What is the girl screaming about over there? What is she shouting about? The Hello Kitty’s head fell off. Why react so strongly over such a trivial matter? You are old enough to understand how people survive in this world. Who isn’t managing to get by while wearing a harmless puppet head?
At the wedding banquet, you are Minnie and I am Mickey. We will live happily together forever. In school, you are the Bouncing Tiger and I am Winnie. We are inseparable good friends. Nobody knows what devil is under the puppet costume. And nobody sees the secret tears behind the puppet head. Now this is just an opportunity for you to learn the cruelty of this world. Don’t worry. Such puppet shows can be found everywhere in the Shijingshan Amusement Park.
Please do not say “the content does not match the cover.” I tell you, soon you will have to put on a puppet costume yourself.
In the supermarket there are always packs of sorted snacks on sale. In convenience stores you can always find video game packs that have hundreds of games in one pack. These products always sell especially well, because we are the poor middle class. Please don’t call it “cheap.” This is called “the ocean receiving one hundred rivers.” This is an era when we demand choice and variety.
Disney is behind the game. It’s always that mouse and that duck. Why can’t I find a cat? What if I want a blue cat with a big head and a pocket? I can’t? Why not?
While Disney is biting its tongue, Shijingshan is much more spontaneous and generous. You want a blue cat with a pocket? OK. You want a green monster? OK. You want never-seen-before mutants? OK. We have the most. We have whatever you want to see. This is called “overwhelming!” This is called “luxurious!”
It seems some friends are saying bad things about Shijingshan. What are you worried about? Are you concerned about so-called copyright? The big boss of the Shijingshan Amusement Park said, “What Mickey Mouse? What we have here is a big-ear cat! It is a CAT! This is different!”
My friend, look carefully. That “big-ear cat” whose ears are super big and has whiskers in the face is very different from the Mickey Mouse. You say the big-ear cat copies the Mickey Mouse. I say that the Mickey Mouse is jealous of the big-ear cat! Therefore, it has nothing to do with copyright. It is about the thickness of the audience’ glasses and it is a matter of identification. Such matters should be fought with the eye department, not Shijingshan.
From a different perspective, if everybody likes the big-ear cat, maybe they will even pass their affection onto that mouse. To think about it, the big-ear cat is not a violator of international copyright law at all. Instead, it is a promoter of the Japanese-Chinese relationship! Now, I can’t help loving the big-ear cat even more.
…
To think of this, I really hate being in Taiwan. Shijingshan is still a remote dream to me. I can’t see Miss Snow White and the seven grandpas with my own eyes. I can’t see the Vinnie viking group that were hanged together. I can’t see the puppets that expose the reality of life. I can’t understand why the Taiwanese couldn’t think of such creative ideas earlier, giving Shijingshan the chance to become world-famous… No. Such thoughts are too pessimistic and not loyal to Taiwan. As a native of Taiwan, at least I should contribute my part. “Do not ask what Taiwan can do for you. Ask how much you love Taiwan.” I know such a saying. The big-ear cat is peanuts. We can make a “Taiwanese cat,” with big ears, long whiskers… Maybe also a green hat [meaning whose wife is adulterous]…