People in China are spending huge sums of money to experience simulated storms, floods and devastation at a disaster simulation center in Hangzhou. Here, along with experiencing the scene of death, they are also learning survival skills.
The craze of dark tourism is increasing rapidly in China. Youth and families are spending huge sums of money to experience simulated storms, floods and other disasters. In simulation centers like Hangzhou-based Luxing Base, people are experiencing the scenes of death and destruction and also learning survival skills. As the South China Morning Post reports, with the growing popularity of dark tourism, young people in China are spending money for a unique experience. They experience simulated hurricanes, floods and other disasters while learning survival skills.
Here let us tell you that dark tourism, also known as sorrow tourism, refers to travel to places associated with death, destruction and human suffering. Its roots are centuries old. In 17th century Britain, large crowds gathered during public hangings. This trend has increased across Asia in recent years. However, its popularity has also raised questions about whether such experiences encourage thinking and learning or turn tragic events into a means of entertainment and profit.
Disaster experience in the center of Hangzhou
According to the report, the Lvxing base located in Hangzhou, East China, has become a major attraction after its opening in September 2024. It is being described as the country’s first immersive natural disaster simulation centre. Adults pay 899 yuan (about Rs 12750) to experience a simulated storm, heavy rain and flash flood. The family package, which costs about 5,000 yuan, also includes jungle survival and water rescue training. Children aged six to 14 can participate in selected activities. According to media reports, this center can generate winds of up to 165 kilometers per hour. Participants don thermal suits and helmets before entry. Instructors provide rescue and disaster response training, while trained security personnel are ready to assist anyone in distress.
the fear felt very real
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Xiaofei said he had never experienced a storm or flood so closely. During a flood simulation in the city, water entered the underground car park and came up to their necks. She said that the suffocating fear made me forget that I was just experiencing a problem. The effects of sudden flood were even more intense. The strong current hit him against a concrete pillar, causing injury marks on his leg. His group consisted entirely of foreign tourists. They helped each other during practice, which made them feel humanity.
Why are people experiencing disasters?
Zhang Yong, a social work professor at Wuhan University, says immediate evidence of ability to respond to a crisis may be particularly attractive to people who face intense competition and uncertain outcomes in everyday life. The concept is inspired by the founders’ own experiences. Since 2012, China’s ‘crazy couple’ Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong have traveled inside a volcano, visited Chernobyl’s radiation zone, walked through war zones in the Middle East and traveled by icebreaker to Antarctica, where they even got married. Now the pair want to turn these experiences into a systematic survival education program that teaches practical skills and fosters respect for nature.
Is this making suffering entertainment?
However, its increasing popularity has also sparked ethical debate. One online commentator said disaster experience centers are a good way to teach survival skills, especially as young people are willing to pay money to ‘suffer’. On the other hand, some people questioned whether turning disasters into paid experiences could alleviate the suffering of those who actually survived the floods and lost their homes.
Let us tell you that there are also free dark tourism sites related to real accidents in China. These include memorials to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan and the Nanking massacre. Unlike commercial disaster simulators, these sights are based on actual losses and collective memory. According to Professor Zhang, the ‘death’ of such places is very important for education.
