Chongqing - In Chongqing Happy Valley Theme Park, Liu Ying, a vibrant hostess, actress, and the cherished compere of Super Wings embodies the spirit of joy for children. 

Through her work, she brings smiles to young faces and finds profound happiness in their pure love. Liu’s story is a heartwarming journey of following her dreams and gaining newfound confidence in the heart of an enchanting world.

Liu Ying’s work is about bringing happiness to children, but the beauty of it is how much she gains in return. (Photo provided to iChongqing and Bridging News)

Warming hearts with kids

Liu is undoubtedly the darling of children in Chongqing Happy Valley Park. The Super Wings Training Camp, a favorite among kids, is a unique theme area in the park inspired by the beloved children’s animation of the same name. The park has meticulously recreated classic scenes from the cartoon, offering a complete children’s world of tours, amusements, acting, and shopping. Her role involves performing in these shows and engaging children in play.

Each evening, at 4:30, the night show begins, followed by the “Super Wings Parade,” a children’s favorite, at 5:30. Liu transforms herself into Sky, the leading character from the cartoon, and with eager eyes, she steps into the spotlight to interact with the kids and kick off the night’s performance.

Going to the amusement park was Liu Ying’s dream in her childhood, and she never imagined that she would be the one bringing joy to the kids in the amusement park. (Photo provided to iChongqing and Bridging News)

“Visiting an amusement park was my childhood dream, and I never imagined that I would be the one bringing joy to the kids here,” Liu reflects. 

Now, Liu has an ever-growing fan base. Some children travel from far-off cities to witness her performances and take photos with her. Some sweet children even offer her candies; some families get annual cards to see her shows frequently. But the most touching gift she received was a drawing from a little girl depicting all the characters, including her. It’s the most unique gift she’s ever received. She said, “I’m so happy to see their smiles, and I feel my efforts are worthwhile when I see that they like me.”

A hostess with an actress’s dream

Liu is a spirited young woman with dreams of becoming an actress. When asked about her job, she reveals that her journey as a hostess was somewhat serendipitous. With a major in performance, she submitted her resume to Chongqing Happy Valley in 2017. She recalls, “Performance is my passion, so I aspired to become an actress after graduation. When I heard about the opportunity to act in sitcoms and children’s plays in Happy Valley, I applied for the position to chase my dream. However, my initial role was more focused on hosting.”

While working as a hostess when the art troupe performs, and children’s plays are on, she also serves as an online streamer, guiding the online audience on a virtual park tour via the official Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese version) account of Chongqing Happy Valley. She humbly acknowledges, “I had to start from scratch and learn from other hostesses, diligently taking notes because it wasn’t my primary field of expertise.”

Fortunately, she found common ground and a balance between being an actress and a hostess during her journey. “I realized that being a hostess and an actress have similarities – both require performing on a stage. Even doing live streams on my phone is a form of performing, and this is how I ultimately achieved my goal. So, I strive to do it well.”

Confidence: the greatest reward

As Liu brings happiness to others and experiences joy in her work, she has a vision for her future. She aims to enhance her all-round skills and expand her professional horizons beyond her primary roles as a hostess and actress. In her words, “I want to step out of my comfort zone, embrace new challenges, and bring more joy to everyone.”

This year is the sixth year for Liu Ying working in the park. She thinks working in Happy Valley is working in an atmosphere full of happiness and love. (Photo/Liu Li)

This year marks Liu's sixth year at the park, and when she looks back, she sees it as a time spent in an atmosphere brimming with happiness and love. She reflects, “We function as a team to bring happiness to others, and that shared sense of purpose makes us all very happy.”

Confidence is perhaps one of her most significant gains. She admits that she struggled with feelings of inferiority, which led her to choose a performance major and challenge herself on stage. She believes confidence is the key to her beauty and radiance after all her hard work.

(Liu Meihui, as an intern, also contributed to this article.)