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SHANGHAI Dashijie, or the Great World Center, officially opened to public this morning with a ticket price of 60 yuan (US$8.70) each.

Inheritors of traditional skills are invited to the century-old center — which now mainly showcases China’s intangible cultural heritages — are and teaching visitors past skills.

The first batch of skills being showcased includes traditional costume-making, wooden plate painting, clay sculpture, jade carving and embroidery. Traditional Chinese operas are being played on the central stage.

The building is can handle 3,000 people at any time.

But as a safety precaution, visitors will be asked to wait when there are more than 1,900 people already inside the building, said Xie Jun, general manager of the center’s operating company.

Shanghai-style cuisine and Mediterranean food are also on offer. Another feature is a theater on the fourth floor, where visitors can watch various performances. Visitors need to book tickets.

Visitors cannot bring food or drinks, except water.

Children under 1.3 meters and injured servicemen can enter free. Children over 1.3 meters tall, students, people over 60, soldiers in active service and disabled citizens receive a 50 percent discount. Visitors need to show their identity cards or passports when buying entrance tickets as part of an effort to crack down on ticket scalpers.

The center was built in 1917. It closed in 2003 and reopened for a trial operation on December 28.