The group of locals has been charging tight-wad tourists around half the 100 yuan ($16) entrance fee to Qinling Wildlife Park just outside the city of Xi'an.
The secret entrance involved being taken to a village adjacent to the park and climbing over a wall with a ladder.
Although the woman claimed the entrance is as good as a ticket, tourists who have taken up on the deal disagree.
"Without a ticket, you can't access many spots at the park," said a tourist surnamed Wang who opted for the discounted entrance in March.
One of the largest of Northwest China, Qinling Wildlife Park boasts Bengal tigers and a large, free-range "Predator Zone" that is home to lions, bears and wolves, according to the park's official website.
But neither the wild animals nor news of a death from a similar stunt earlier this year at another zoo have deterred tourists from trying to sneak into the park.
In January, a man was mauled to death by a tiger after he climbed multiple walls into the Ningbo Youngor Zoo, East China's Zhejiang Province.
A ticket to the park costs 130 yuan, according to news reports.
This article originally appeared on the Global Times website
