Dwarf Empire, Theme park in Yunnan, China

Dwarf Empire is a themed area inside the World Butterfly Ecological Park in Heiqiaomu Village, Xishan District, Kunming. It consists mainly of a large stepped platform and 33 Dr. Seuss-style villas with crooked chimneys, where performers change costumes and rest between shows. Visitors may tour and photograph the villas before performances.

Chen Mingjing founded this entertainment park in 2009 and recruited people with dwarfism from different regions of China to live and work within the park. The facility has since evolved into a controversial concept that both attracts visitors and triggers discussions about ethical questions.

The residents perform daily shows wearing special costumes and taking on roles such as kings, soldiers or diplomatic representatives within their organized community. The choreography and scenes follow a fixed schedule that is presented to the audience several times throughout the day.

The park maintains separate living quarters and performance areas, with residents participating in scheduled entertainment programs during operating hours. The shows take place at different times of the day, so with some flexibility you can experience several performances.

The community includes around 100 people with dwarfism who both live and work within the park boundaries. This arrangement has attracted international attention and brought forth both supporters and critics who evaluate the model from different perspectives.