Zhuhai Grand Theatre, Two White Shells on Yeli Island
Zhuhai Grand Theatre stands on the north end of Yeli Island, a small island joined by bridges to Zhuhai's seafront at Lovers' Road. Its two white shells, one large and one small, are known in Chinese as Riyuebei, the Sun and Moon Shells. The theatre opened at the end of 2016 and is described by the Xiangzhou district culture bureau as the only grand theatre in China built on an island. You can walk around the outside for free at any hour. Going inside means buying a ticket for a performance.
Design and construction
Chinese Wikipedia says the city ran a global design competition in 2008, which drew 33 entries. In September 2009 the Sun and Moon Shells scheme won. Its lead designer was the architect Chen Keshi, working with a team that included the Peking University Center for Urban Design and the Shenzhen branch of the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design. The Xiangzhou culture bureau says the idea came from Botticelli's painting The Birth of Venus, in which the goddess rises from a shell.
Building began on 28 April 2010 on reclaimed land off Yeli Island, facing Lovers' Road. The main structure was topped out on 29 December 2013. The district bureau gives the floor area as 59,000 square metres and the investment as 1.08 billion yuan, while Chinese Wikipedia cites an estimated project budget of 1.718 billion yuan, so figures vary with what is counted. In 2020 the project won the Zhan Tianyou Award, China's main prize for civil engineering.
Inside the shells
The large Sun Shell rises 90 metres and holds the main auditorium for 1,550 people. The small Moon Shell is a multi-purpose hall seating 550. Chinese Wikipedia mentions a viewing platform inside with views of the hills and sea. The building is run under contract by Beijing Poly Theatre Management, which signed with the city's construction group in 2015.
The opening was a sell-out. Tickets went on sale on 27 October 2016, and all 1,550 seats for the first performance were gone within two hours. On 31 December 2016 the Russian National Orchestra played a 2017 New Year concert to open the house. Chinese Wikipedia reports that in its first year 125 companies gave 156 performances, with average attendance of 92 percent and about 140,000 tickets sold. The programme covers opera, musicals, ballet, drama, symphony concerts and Chinese opera.
Yeli Island
Yeli Island is the island closest to the mainland of all Zhuhai's islands. Chinese Wikipedia puts it about 400 metres off the Xiangzhou shore, with an area of about 0.42 square kilometres. Two bridges, Haiyan and Xinyue, cross from the mainland. A 3.5 kilometre loop road called Haiyu Road follows the shore, and a 3 kilometre path climbs the wooded hill in the middle. The red, multi-tiered building on the water next to the theatre is Deyuefang, a floating restaurant built in the shape of a boat.
The island and the theatre exterior are open all day without a booking, Zhuhai Bendibao says. A walk over the bridge, around the shells and along part of the loop road takes about an hour. The shells photograph well from the Lovers' Road shore to the west and from the island's own paths.
Tickets and shows
Performances are ticketed and booked through the theatre's WeChat account, its official website and major ticketing apps. Zhuhai Bendibao lists the box office hours as 9:30 to 18:30, with ticket lines on 0756-2198888 and 0756-2558888. Prices depend on the show. Check the programme a week or two ahead if you want to see the interior. Some travel listings mention daytime access to parts of the building on days without shows, so ask the box office before counting on it.
Getting there
The theatre's address is on Yeli Island off the middle section of Lovers' Road. The Xiangzhou culture bureau says buses L1 and L3 stop at Riyuebei, and Chinese Wikipedia lists routes L1, 9 and 99 for Yeli Island. Many people simply walk from the Fisher Girl, which is a little over two kilometres south along the seafront.
Pairing it with the seafront
The Zhuhai guide suggests the theatre as a dusk stop after an afternoon on Lovers' Road and the Fisher Girl. If you are staying longer, a show in the Sun Shell is the only way to see the auditorium.
Before you go
- Check the theatre's programme early if you want an interior visit.
- Bring a light layer, since the island is exposed to sea wind.
- Avoid the seafront during typhoon warnings.
- Allow an hour for the island loop on foot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit Zhuhai Grand Theatre without a show ticket?
You can walk around the outside and on Yeli Island for free. The auditoriums are open to ticket holders for performances.
How many seats does the theatre have?
The Sun Shell seats 1,550 and the Moon Shell 550.
When did it open?
The opening concert was on 31 December 2016, by the Russian National Orchestra.
How do I get there?
Take bus L1 or L3 to Riyuebei, or walk over the bridge from Lovers' Road.
Sources
Facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved 12 October 2026.
- 珠海大剧院, Chinese Wikipedia
- 珠海大剧院, Xiangzhou District Culture, Radio, Tourism and Sports Bureau
- 珠海日月贝要预约吗, Zhuhai Bendibao
- 野狸岛, Chinese Wikipedia
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown in each caption.