A Deep Winter Journey to Historic Zhuozhou: Sanyi Palace and the Film Studio (by Wang Zhiming)

📍 Chiang Mai · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 41 likes

In deep winter, the sky is overcast, and the northern countryside lies bleak and desolate.

I come to the ancient county of Zhuozhou to visit the hometowns of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, and Sanyi Palace, to soak in the long history and culture of the Three Kingdoms. In my ears echoes the desolate, soul-stirring melody of 'The Sky of History,' the closing theme song of the TV series Romance of the Three Kingdoms, brimming with the vicissitudes of time and the tragic heroism of clashing swords and charging steeds.

Fading are the glints and flashes of blades,

Fading are the drumbeats and bugle calls,

Before my eyes dance one vivid face after another.

Buried are the dusty ancient roads,

Desolate are the frontier towns of beacon fires,

Oh time, you cannot take away those strings of familiar names.

Who decides the rise and fall?

How can rise and decline be without reason?

A page of history’s clouds and winds has scattered,

Gathering and parting are all a matter of fate,

Parting and reunion are always bound by feeling.

Taking up the deeds of a lifetime,

The Yangtze River purposely transforms into tears,

The Yangtze River affectionately lifts a song.

In the sky of history twinkle a few stars,

And on earth, a heroic spirit gallops and roams…

Sanyi Palace is located in Lousangmiao Village, Songlindian Town, Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province. The entire complex faces south and covers over 60 mu (about 4 hectares). It is a traditional three-courtyard compound. In the third year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming dynasty (1508), Emperor Wuzong (Zhu Houzhao) personally bestowed an imperial plaque with the words “Built by Imperial Decree—Sanyi Palace.” The temple is grand in scale, majestic in presence, and profound in cultural heritage, making it the best place to experience the legendary “one bow that changed history” and seek the soul of loyalty and brotherhood.

The saga of the Three Kingdoms begins here, and the brotherly oath of the Peach Garden finds its roots here. The Sanyi Palace—its “Yi” (righteousness/brotherhood) runs deep and long, thus it can be called the wellspring of Three Kingdoms culture. “Three Yi” refers to Liu Bei’s “Ren Yi” (benevolence), Guan Yu’s “Zhong Yi” (loyalty), and Zhang Fei’s “Zhang Yi” (chivalrous courage)—together they form the “Three Yi.”

Sanyi Palace was first built in the Sui dynasty, later renovated through the Tang, Liao, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, with a history of over 1,400 years. The palace was constructed to commemorate the Peach Garden Oath of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. For centuries, pilgrims have come in an endless stream, leaving behind many well-loved poems, making it the perfect place to seek that once-in-history bow and the spirit of loyalty. Every year during the Sanyi Palace temple fair, local people gather here in droves, creating a lively atmosphere that became one of the Eight Scenes of Zhuozhou, known as the “Lousang Spring Fair.” Within the palace, many ancient cypresses stand tall and graceful; the statues are remarkably lifelike. Emperors, generals, ministers, scholars, and poets have all vied to visit, lingering in admiration. The Qing-dynasty poet Wang Ruixin sighed in “Ode to Lousang”: “The orthodox line of a thousand autumns glitters in history; the two words ‘fair’ and ‘just’ define the purple sun. How many have called themselves kings or emperors—ask whose temple’s likeness compares to Lousang?” According to records, Sanyi Palace was rebuilt in the fourth year of the Qianning era of Tang (897), and it was renovated in successive dynasties, growing to a grand scale. Regrettably, most of its buildings were demolished during the Cultural Revolution, leaving only the mountain gate and a stele from the Zhengde period of Ming.

In 1996, Sanyi Palace was restored according to its original layout, reconstructing seven sections including the main hall, the Nine Dragon Stele, the Oath-taking Stone, and inner and outer palace walls. From the outer gate inward, they are: the Mountain Gate, the Horse God Hall, the Guan Yu Hall, the Zhang Fei Hall, the Main Hall, the Retirement Hall, the Wuhou (Zhuge Liang) Hall, and the Lesser Sanyi Hall. A total of 87 statues were installed following the original style. The restored Sanyi Palace still retains the architectural style of the Han dynasty. Above the central entrance, the plaque reads “Built by Imperial Decree—Sanyi Palace.” The plaque features three auspicious clouds, with the character “日” (sun) carved on its front and “月” (moon) on its reverse, symbolizing that the brotherhood of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei will forever shine like the sun and moon, inspiring posterity.

Zhuozhou Film Studio is located in Matou Town, Zhuozhou City, Baoding, Hebei Province. It is a large comprehensive tourism zone focused on film and television production services, also offering sightseeing, cultural entertainment, and leisure and vacation functions. It was built in 1990 with an investment of 300 million yuan by China Central Television (CCTV). The main attractions of Zhuozhou Film Studio consist of numerous filming sets such as Tang City, Han City, Tongquetai (Bronze Sparrow Terrace), the Ming-Qing Imperial Palace, and traditional folk houses. Covering an area of 1.5 million square meters, it is a complex of replica ancient buildings themed on cultures from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Qin and Han dynasties, Three Kingdoms, Tang dynasty, and Ming and Qing dynasties. Many works have been filmed here, including the TV series Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Journey to the West, and the movies The Bronze Sparrow Terrace, Guan Yunchang, and others.

Tang City, located in the northeast corner of the studio (east of the main entrance), was built as the Tang dynasty setting for the historical drama Emperor Tang Ming Huang. It covers 150 mu (10 hectares). Main attractions include: the city towers of Chang’an, Bianliang, and Luoyang, an imperial garden, prince’s mansions, Tang-dynasty city streets, post stations, markets, inns, shops, military camps, and folk residences. Representative works shot in Tang City: The Hero of Chaos: Lü Buwei, Empress Wu Zetian, etc.

Han City, situated in the northwest corner (west of the main entrance), was built as the Han dynasty setting for the TV series Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It covers 500 mu (33 hectares). Main attractions include: a 2.1-kilometer-long Han dynasty city wall, street scenes of the kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu; the city towers of Xuchang, Xuzhou, Jingzhou, Jianye, and Chengdu, as well as the Han King’s Palace, Crown Prince’s Palace, Prime Minister’s Mansion, Prefect’s Court, and more. A section of the Great Wall stretches about 200 meters. The Han-era marketplace street features palaces, temples, teahouses, taverns, and pleasure quarters. Shu Street, with its bamboo-stilted thatched cottages, consists mainly of shops, noodle stalls, and market towers. Wei’s streets are neatly arranged, with buildings either projecting or recessed, reflecting the northern architectural style of the Three Kingdoms period. Wu Street is built along a river, mostly of wooden structures, embodying Wu culture and the flavor of regions south of the Yangtze. Representative works shot in Han City: Eastern Zhou, Warring States, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Tongquetai (Bronze Sparrow Terrace) is located in the central part of the studio (south of Han City). With a floor area of 13,248 square meters and a height of 26 meters, it integrates pavilions, terraces, towers, galleries, bridges, courtyards, and watchtowers. To its left stands the Jade Dragon Terrace, and to its right the Golden Phoenix Terrace. Representative works shot here include A Step into the Past, The Legend of Mi Yue, The Bronze Sparrow Terrace, etc.

After Cao Cao defeated the Yuan brothers, he lodged at Yecheng. At midnight he saw a golden light rising from the ground; the next day they dug and unearthed a bronze sparrow. Advisor Xun You remarked that in ancient times, Shun’s mother dreamed a jade sparrow flew into her bosom before giving birth to Shun. Now obtaining a bronze sparrow was also an auspicious omen. Cao Cao was overjoyed and decided to build the Bronze Sparrow Terrace on the Zhang River to showcase his achievements in quelling the realm.

The green mountains are still there, how many times has the setting sun glowed red?

The Three Kingdoms era has long been submerged in the vast river of Chinese history. But its heroes and culture remain alive in the land of China, running deep in the blood of its people.

In the sky of history, a few stars twinkle, and on earth, a heroic spirit gallops and roars.

When visiting historical sites to pay homage, one should take history as a mirror and learn more of that positive, uplifting spirit of brotherhood, boldness, and heroism—let it accompany us as we gallop and roam through the journey of life!

(Some introductory text sourced online; photos taken with a mobile phone in January 2015)

Travelogue Contents

1. Entering the Ancient County of Zhuozhou

2. The Hometowns of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, and the Imperially Commissioned Sanyi Palace

3. Zhuozhou Film Studio: Replica Han City, Tang City, and Bronze Sparrow Terrace

4. Concluding Remarks