New Nansha water park blends Lingnan heritage with summer fun

Shuixingyun Water Park has opened at Yunsha Xingyun Xiangyunsha Intangible Cultural Heritage Park in Guangzhou's Nansha district, offering a unique blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern entertainment.

Yunsha Xingyun Xiangyunsha Intangible Cultural Heritage Park. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

Visitors can experience Xiangyunsha (gambiered Guangdong silk) dyeing in the morning, splash around at the water park in the afternoon, and enjoy barbecues in the evening.

The 3,000-square-meter park features eight large inflatable water attractions, including a 50-meter obstacle course, a 40-meter parent-child challenge, and multiple waterslides, all equipped with cooling mist systems for comfort under the summer sun.

Guests can explore the Xiangyunsha intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall, learning traditional techniques like "sun-drying" and "mud-coating". On clear days, artisans can be seen drying the fabric outdoors.

The work of Xiangyunsha "mud-coating" experience. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

Recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, Xiangyunsha is crafted using Dioscorea cirrhosa dye and Pearl River mud, earning it the nickname "soft gold" due to its labor-intensive process. Each piece is unique, requiring sunlight, grass fields, and mineral-rich mud for production.

As China's first 3A-rated tourist site dedicated to Xiangyunsha, Yunsha Xingyun offers over 10 hands-on workshops, attracting more than 150,000 visitors annually. This innovative park bridges heritage and leisure, making traditional crafts accessible to all.