Wulong Lanba LAB: The Art of the Land

Discover Chongqing with us. Join our Facebook group for FREE city tour. Author: Kevin Deng Published May 17, 2025

Wulong Lanba LAB Highlights

Wulong Lanba LAB, situated near Xiannv County on Xiannv Mountain (Fairy Mountain), Wulong District, is a unique destination where its name—LAB—stands for Life, Art, and Belief.

These three themes define the essence of Wulong Lanba LAB, reflecting the distinctive lifestyle it seeks to inspire.

LAB is an open-air art museum that harmoniously integrates with its natural surroundings, set against the stunning backdrop of the Three Natural Bridges karst mountains and Furong Cave karst caves.

Visitors will encounter a variety of art installations that blend seamlessly with the environment. Featuring works by artists from Germany, Denmark, Japan, the United Kingdom, China, and beyond, LAB showcases diverse cultural perspectives while remaining deeply connected to the spirit of Fairy Mountain.

This destination is perfect for a family outing, a serene retreat to find inner peace, or capturing breathtaking photos. Wulong Lanba LAB is also accessible and welcoming to visitors with mobility needs.

Lanba LAB Operating Hours

Getting to Lanba LAB

Things to Know Before Visiting Lanba LAB

Facilities at Lanba LAB

Lanba LAB Ticket

You can purchase a ticket for the Wulong Lanba LAB at the LAB Tourist Centre.

Admission: 50 CNY / person

Viewing Car: 25 CNY / person (optional)

The Best Time to Visit Lanba LAB Ticket

You can access Wulong Lanba LAB all year round.

At Wulong Lanba LAB, visitors can enjoy vibrant floral displays throughout the year:

• March: Peach blossoms, plum blossoms, and cherry blossoms bloom, creating a stunning spring spectacle.
• April to November: Roses and Chinese roses flourish, adding vibrant colours to the park’s trails.
• November to April: Camellias grace the landscape, offering elegant blooms through the cooler months.

Top Attractions at Lanba LAB

The Heart Pavilion

The Heart Pavilion, created by renowned French artist Christian Boltanski, is a unique installation at the Wulong Lanba LAB.

Since 2008, Boltanski has been collecting heartbeat sounds from people worldwide, amassing over 120,000 recordings, which are archived in Japan. This pavilion is his only museum in China.

Boltanski believed that heartbeat sounds embody the spirit of life, with each one uniquely distinct. Visitors from around the world can record their own heartbeat at the pavilion and listen to the heartbeats of others, creating a profound connection across humanity.

The Thomas Giants

The Path of Love at Wulong Lanba LAB LAB hosts The Great Story of The Little People and The Giant Trolls, also known as the Thomas Giants, created by Danish recycle art activist Thomas Dambo.

Renowned for crafting giant troll sculptures from recycled materials such as scrap wood, old pallets, and debris, Dambo’s whimsical creations inspire environmental awareness and exploration of nature.

His trolls inhabit landscapes across 17 countries, from Denmark to the United States, China, and beyond.

In 2019, Dambo spent a month at Wulong’s Lanba LAB, where he crafted three remarkable troll sculptures, including Marit and Kjeld from the installation It Sounded Like a Mountain Fell.

These works, set amidst the karst wonderland of Wulong, invite visitors to engage with the region’s natural beauty and the artist’s message of sustainability.

The Sound Scenes

The Sound Scenes, a three-part installation by Japanese sound artist Akinori Matsumoto, comprises the Old House, the Courtyard, and the Lakeside at Wulong Lanba LAB.

The Old House utilizes bamboo sourced from Wulong’s mountains to create a symphony of sounds, blending light, shadow, and their intricate interplay. This immersive experience captures the essence of local life, evoking the sensory rhythms of the region.

The Courtyard, co-designed with local bamboo weaving artisans, celebrates China’s traditional bamboo handicraft. The integration of bamboo art creates a harmonious environment, showcasing cultural heritage alongside contemporary design.

The Lakeside Bamboo Sound Array, crafted in collaboration with local artisans and volunteers, features bamboo structures that resonate with the wind, producing captivating sounds. As visitors stroll along the trail, the simultaneous blend of scenic views and melodic tones creates a dramatic, multisensory effect.

The Calling

The Calling, created by Chinese artist Zhang Chao, is a striking bamboo installation at Wulong Lanba LAB, forming a cylinder 8.5 meters in diameter and 4.5 meters tall.

From the outside, it appears as a sleek, minimalist structure, with subtle glimpses of its inner world visible through the gaps between bamboo stalks. A narrow entrance allows visitors to slip inside, where the space transforms into a serene, almost ethereal realm.

Inside, a carpet of white sand purifies the environment, creating a stark contrast with a square, dark hole at the center. Above this hole, a concrete cube hangs suspended, tethered to each bamboo stalk by delicate strings.

The cube seems to have been pulled upward from the hole by the bamboo.

As visitors move through the space and pluck the strings with their fingers, bell-like sounds fill the air, evoking a sense of dialogue between the bamboo and the concrete cube.

This interplay of touch, sight, and sound weaves a connected experience, suggesting that these elements are not isolated but part of a living conversation.

Over time, the bell sounds may soften, and gravity may draw the concrete cube back toward the dark hole in the earth, as if destined to be reclaimed. The Calling invites contemplation of impermanence, connection, and the subtle forces that bind us to the world.

Earth Fell From the Sky

The Earth Fell From the Sky, created by Japanese artist Yusuke Asai, is a monumental mural crafted entirely from the natural soils of Wulong’s mountains, without any artificial colours.

Asai meticulously selected soils to achieve striking contrasts in earthy hues, painting a masterpiece that spans from ground level to over two stories high within a dome.

This abstract artwork, featuring a mythical female figure with outstretched arms intertwined with organic forms resembling imaginary animals, plants, and fluid tribal or geometric shapes, invites varied interpretations depending on the viewer’s perspective.

The mural’s ephemeral nature reflects Asai’s philosophy that art need not be permanent, encouraging a deeper connection with the living essence of soil and the environment.

Recommended Travel Routes for Wulong Lanba LAB

There are many ways to explore the Ferry Mountain LAB. You can refer to our recommended travel routes so you don’t miss any artistic attractions.