A world as wonky as Wonka

Photo provided to China Daily

Other competitions include chocolate weightlifting and DIY baking. The top prize is free entrance for a year.

Life-sized chocolate terracotta warriors and chariots, and a chocolate Forbidden City that took six months to create, are the highlights at the 1,000-sq-m 5,000 Years of China Pavilion.

Sweet Eden, which is designed like the alien planet in the movie Avatar, has the world's largest chocolate waterfall and the longest chocolate river. It looks like Charlie's chocolate factory at night, with iridescent jellyfish and chocolate mushrooms. Elves dressed like aliens stand alongside the winding pathway.

A 400-sq-m castle made of 160 tons of chocolate is perhaps the park's biggest attraction, in every sense of the word.

It features chocolate sculptures of some of the world's most famous structures and artworks.

There are likenesses of some of the most famous buildings and artworks - Winged Glory, David, Venus and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

It also displays an 8-meter-high "bread-painting" version of The Mona Lisa, created with 2,900 white toast slices.

The site also features a desert street, proffering famous brands' goodies.

"All the chocolate displays are edible but would taste weird because we change some of the ingredients," Fang says.

He advises against nibbling the exhibits.

"Their creation required tremendous work and patience."