2 Days in Nanjing: 6 Landmarks, 7 Must-Try Foods, then Bullet Train to Hengdian World Studios for Story of Yanxi Palace Filming Locations
In Nanjing, it was a simple bowl of yangchun noodles that truly wowed me. In Hengdian, I chased the trending filming locations of *Story of Yanxi Palace* and *Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace*: Hengdian World Studios.
In just 4 days, I traveled from Nanjing to Hengdian, crossing from China's Republican era back to ancient times. I truly walked through the traditional beauty of classic Chinese aesthetics.
4-Day Nanjing–Hengdian Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Nanjing → Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts → Qinhuai River → Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) → Laomendong
Day 2: 1912 Block → Republic Red Mansion (Minguo Honggongguan) → Deji Plaza → Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum → Mingwalang Food Street → Line Friends store
Day 3: Hengdian World Studios: Qin King Palace → Qingming Shanghe Tu (Along the River During the Qingming Festival) → Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street
Day 4: Hengdian World Studios: Ming & Qing Palace Garden → fly back to Chongqing from Hangzhou
How to Get from Nanjing to Hengdian World Studios – Transport between the Two Cities
(1) Hengdian is in Zhejiang, Nanjing in Jiangsu – they’re practically neighbours. To get from Nanjing to Hengdian, first take a bullet train to Yiwu, then a 40-minute bus ride from Yiwu to Hengdian. On the return trip, I chose to take a bus from Hengdian to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport and flew back to Chongqing.
Nanjing South → Yiwu: 2h19min, 167.5 RMB
Hengdian → Xiaoshan Airport: 70 RMB, about 2 hours.
Note: Hengdian Bus Station and Hengdian Airport are in the same location. There are many daily buses from Hengdian to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport. Some depart from the bus station on the lower ground floor and take about 3 hours. If you take a bus from the airport departure hall on the 1st floor, it only takes about 2 hours.
(2) Getting around Nanjing is very convenient, with 10 metro lines in total. Lines 1, 2, 3, and 4 can basically meet most tourists’ needs. Fares generally range from 2 to 9 yuan. Self-service ticket machines accept only 5, 10, 50 and 100 yuan notes. Some metro stations in Nanjing now allow ticket purchases via Alipay or WeChat, which is really handy. City buses start at 2 yuan, and taxis start at 10 yuan.
(3) In Hengdian, most people drive themselves, and there are very few bus routes. Hengdian Group has even funded a tourist loop bus that lets visitors travel between the town’s scenic areas for free. Other bus routes start at 1 yuan.
Part 1: Nanjing
Actually, I was in Nanjing on a business trip, so I squeezed every spare moment to tick off the main travel destinations around the city.
Nanjing Stop 1: Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts
Our meeting was held at the Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts – a rather beautiful venue, but it’s really only worth a visit if there’s a performance on. As a sightseeing spot for a regular trip, it doesn’t hold much appeal, so I’ll just post a few photos to give a feel for the interior design.
Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts was designed by East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI). Its design language draws from “water,” aligning with Nanjing’s local character of “mountains, waters, city and forests.” Situated next to the Yangtze River, it also expresses the concept of “water charm, Jiangsu.” The overall design resembles “a lotus leaf with water droplets” – the four “droplets,” tilted towards the centre at the top, form petal-like textures on the building’s roof, creating the effect of water droplets rolling on a lotus leaf. These four “droplets” are the centre’s four main functions: an opera house, a drama theatre, a concert hall, and a multi-purpose hall. To complement the two striking red arches of the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, the “droplets” take on a blue-to-white gradient, which also represents the stripes of Nanjing's famous Yuhua Stone.
Nanjing Stop 2: Confucius Temple–Qinhuai Scenic Area & Laomendong
I did my research online and learned that this area is best visited in the evening. As it happened, after the meeting one evening, I took a client here for dinner. The Qinhuai River, Confucius Temple and Laomendong are all within the same zone, so you can cover them in one go. Within the area, several museums and attractions charge separate admission.
Wuyi Lane: 8 RMB
Confucius Temple: Dacheng Hall: 30 RMB; combined ticket for Dacheng Hall and Wang & Xie Ancient Residence: 32 RMB (Jan 1 – Dec 31, Mon–Sun).
Opening hours: 09:00–22:00 (Jan 1 – Dec 31, Mon–Sun).
Confucius Temple Dacheng Hall, Jiangnan Examination Hall, Wang & Xie Ancient Residence, and Li Xiangjun’s Former Residence – individual tickets are 15 RMB, 15 RMB, 8 RMB and 8 RMB respectively. A combined ticket for all four is 40 RMB.
The Qinhuai River, a right-bank tributary in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, was called Longcang Pu in ancient times, Huai Water from the Han Dynasty, and renamed Qinhuai after the Tang Dynasty. The Qinhuai has two headwaters: the northern source, the Jurong River, rises at the southern foot of Baohua Mountain in Jurong City; the southern source, the Lishui River, rises from Donglu Mountain in Lishui District, Nanjing. The two converge at Fangshan Dyke in northwest Jiangning District to form the main stream. It then meanders around Fangshan northwestwards, enters the city through Dongshui Pass at the outer city gate Shangfangmen, cuts across the city from east to west, exits through Xishui Pass in the south, and empties into the Yangtze.
Most of the Qinhuai River lies within Nanjing. As the city’s largest regional river, its historical roles in transport and irrigation nurtured Nanjing’s ancient civilisation, earning it the title of Nanjing’s Mother River. It enjoyed extraordinary fame throughout history and is known as “China’s No. 1 Historical and Cultural River.” This area has thus evolved into a pedestrianised district.
The Confucius Temple–Qinhuai Scenic Area is located in Qinhuai District, Nanjing. Centred around the ancient Confucius Temple complex, threaded by the Ten-Li Qinhuai axis, and linked by the Ming City Wall, it strings together numerous national key cultural relic protection sites, as well as provincial and municipal heritage sites. Infused with Confucian thought, imperial examination culture, and folk traditions, it blends natural scenery, Jiangnan gardens, temples and academies, streets and residential houses, local life, culinary delights, shopping, educational experiences, and festival culture. It is not only a showcase of Nanjing’s historical and cultural essence, but also a renowned open 5A national tourist attraction and one of China’s Top 40 Tourist Destinations.
To be honest, I was disappointed. I felt this place was purely designed for out-of-towners – 95% visitors, the remaining 5% merchants. Locals probably never set foot here. The shops lining the streets are too conventionally touristy, stuffed with souvenirs you can find anywhere in China. A few stores do offer customised, Nanjing-themed cultural and creative products, which were quite cute – I bought a fridge magnet as a memento.
Tucked away within this area are several paid attractions, mostly museums that require an entry fee.
Confucius Temple is one of China’s Four Great Confucian Temples, a hub of ancient Jiangnan culture and a treasure trove of Jinling’s history and talent. It was not only the educational centre of Nanjing during the Ming and Qing dynasties but also the foremost cluster of educational buildings in southeastern China. It is the largest traditional ancient street market in China.
To enter the temple itself, a separate ticket is needed.
Nanjing Confucius Temple, also known as Nanjing Kong Miao, Nanjing Wen Miao, or Wenxuan Wang Miao, is a place for offering sacrifices to Confucius. It was China’s first national institution of higher learning and one of the Four Great Confucian Temples, a hub of ancient Chinese culture and Jinling’s historical and humanistic treasures. It was the educational centre of Nanjing during the Ming and Qing dynasties and the premier educational complex in the southeastern provinces. Today it forms an essential part of the Confucius Temple–Qinhuai Scenic Area. The temple was originally built in the third year of Xiankang (337 AD) under Emperor Cheng of the Eastern Jin. In the first year of Jingyou of the Northern Song (1034), it was rebuilt as a Confucian temple. From the Six Dynasties through the Ming and Qing, aristocratic families clustered nearby, giving rise to the saying “the golden dust of the Six Dynasties.” Fan Li, Zhou Yu, Wang Dao, Xie An, Li Bai, Du Mu, Wu Jingzi, and hundreds of other renowned military strategists, statesmen and writers created immortal works here, leaving behind masterpieces recited for millennia.
Confucius Temple is a grand ancient architectural complex, primarily composed of three main sections: the Confucian Temple proper, the Imperial Academy, and the Examination Hall, covering a vast area. It includes structures such as the Screen Wall, the Pan Pond, archways, Juxing Pavilion, Kuixing Tower, Lingxing Gate, Dacheng Hall, Mingde Hall, and Zunjing Pavilion. Known as a Qinhuai landmark, the temple has become a signature scenic area of ancient capital Nanjing and China’s largest traditional ancient street market. Together with Shanghai City God Temple, Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple, and Beijing Tianqiao, it is counted among China’s Four Great traditional marketplaces.
Nanjing Confucius Temple was destroyed four times and rebuilt five times, the last destruction caused by the artillery of the invading Japanese army in 1937. Since its restoration in 1985, it has received over 100 million visitors. On ordinary days, it welcomes more than 100,000 visitors, and during holidays that number surges to over 300,000. It is a renowned open 5A national tourist attraction in China and a world-famous travel destination.
The Qinhuai River is a tributary of the Yangtze. For thousands of years, it has nourished the ancient city of Nanjing. “Ten miles of brocade splendid with the spring breeze, a thousand doors face the river open” – this area gradually became the prosperous heart of Jinling. The inner Qinhuai stretch, from East Water Pass to West Water Pass, a distance of 4.2 km, was lined with the mansions of powerful families and nobility. It flourished with gilded pavilions and terraces rising in rows. Riverside residences near the temple boasted exquisite windows and silk curtains, ten li of beaded blinds, and spectacular lantern boats unmatched anywhere under heaven. Many historical sites, anecdotes and romantic tales were born here, inspired and sung by literati through the ages.
We managed to walk through the entire Confucius Temple–Qinhuai Scenic Area in under an hour. I heard that you used to be able to watch costumed opera performers for free, but now that likely costs money.
Wuyi Lane is tucked away in a small alley off the pedestrian street. It is one of the oldest and most famous ancient lanes in Chinese history. Wuyi Lane was the site of the mansions belonging to the Wang and Xie families, two prominent clans of the Jin Dynasty. The young men of both clans liked to wear black (wuyi) to show their noble status, hence the name. The lane was a bustling place of high officials and famous carriages. It produced cultural giants like Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Xie Lingyun, the founder of the landscape poetry school. Wuyi Lane witnessed the artistic achievements of the Wangs and Xies and is intimately linked with the history of these two great families, and indeed with the entire history of Chinese culture.
In 1997, the Qinhuai District People’s Government restored Wuyi Lane, unearthing and presenting its long history, and rebuilt the Wang & Xie Ancient Residence Museum in a traditional style. After a thousand years of vicissitudes, today’s Wuyi Lane has none of its former glory, no aristocratic toasts and banquets. Instead, it welcomes visitors exploring the traces of the Wang-Xie magnificent mansions.
Inside Wuyi Lane there is an ancient well called Wuyi Well. Legend says it was dug during the Eastern Wu period to supply water for the garrison. Twelve rope marks on the well’s rim speak of the thousand years of vicissitudes it has witnessed.
As for Laomendong, I’ll cover it in the [Food] section, because going to Laomendong is all about eating.
Laomendong is located in Qinhuai District, Nanjing, east of Zhonghua Gate. Because it stands east (dong) of the capital’s southern gate (Zhonghua Gate), it’s called “Mendong” (East of the Gate), in contrast to Laomenxi (West of the Gate). It is a vital part of the Confucius Temple–Qinhuai Scenic Area. Mendong is a traditional residential cluster in Nanjing, a place where Jiangnan merchants gathered, talents flourished, and aristocratic families lived since ancient times. The term Mendong broadly refers to the area east of Zhonghua Gate, but today’s Laomendong Historical and Cultural Block is the narrower definition.
As early as the Three Kingdoms period, settlements appeared in the Mendong area. In the Ming Dynasty, the area along Zhonghua Gate and the Inner Qinhuai River became the city’s economic hub, an important centre for commerce and handicrafts, presenting a scene of prosperity. After the late Qing, the old southern city areas like Laomendong and Laomenxi gradually turned into predominantly residential zones, which epitomise the traditional residential style of old southern Nanjing. Laomendong Historical and Cultural Block extends north to Changle Road, south to the Ming City Wall, east to Jiangning Road, and west to the Inner Qinhuai River where the Zhonghua Gate castle section is. It covers about 700,000 square metres and has historically always been one of the core functional areas of Confucius Temple. Here you’ll find activities such as Jinling Sutra Engraving, Nanjing Baiju opera, as well as Deyun She (a crosstalk/comedian troupe), along with folk crafts like handmade kites, cloth paintings, bamboo carvings, paper-cutting, and marionette puppetry. It also offers a wide range of traditional Nanjing snacks.
Nanjing Stop 3: 1912 Block
Nanjing 1912 Block is also in the old city centre, in Xuanwu District, just east of the Presidential Palace. So you can cover both the Presidential Palace and 1912 in one morning, and then have lunch here. We, for instance, chose to eat at the “Republic Red Mansion” (Minguo Honggongguan), which became famous because of Wang Sicong.
Nanjing 1912 Block is a commercial building cluster in Nanjing characterised by early Republican-era architecture. It’s also a successful case of protecting and developing Nanjing’s early Republican buildings and old urban architecture. It comprises 19 early Republican-style buildings and four street squares – Gonghe (Republic), Boai (Fraternity), New Century, and Pacific – forming a trendy commercial and leisure district. To me, it’s basically a bar street. Unless you’re eating here or hitting the bars, you can walk the whole place in 10 minutes.
Nanjing Stop 4: Zhongshan Mountain Scenic Area – Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
For the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, you must book a time slot in advance on the official WeChat account “Zhongshan Scenic Area” in order to enter for free with your ID card. The booking method is shown below:
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Bus: Routes 9, 34 (Boai Line), 201, 202, 203.
Metro: Take Nanjing Metro Line 2 to Xiamafang Station, use Exit 2, then transfer to Nanjing Bus Route 34 (Boai Line) uphill to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum parking lot.
Actually, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is just one attraction within the Zhongshan Scenic Area. After getting off the metro, I walked 2 km to reach the mausoleum and discovered many other sights along the way. If you really want to explore the entire Zhongshan Scenic Area thoroughly, you could even stay a night and visit each ticketed attraction one by one.
This is a photo I took from a broken bridge in the scenic area after alighting from the metro – absolutely beautiful. Then I followed the road in the photo towards the Mausoleum, walking 2 km. Along the way, there are hidden many “ling” (mausoleums).
After walking quite a while, I stumbled upon the Pioneer Bookstore outpost I’d been wanting to visit.
Zhongshan Scenic Area, centred around the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, with Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Linggu Temple as its backbone, boasts over 200 historical sites and relics, with 84 accessible scenic spots. These include 1 World Cultural Heritage site, 15 national-level key cultural relic protection sites, and 31 provincial and municipal-level protected heritage units. The scenic area is divided into five main zones: Ming Xiaoling, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Linggu, Toutuo Ridge, and other attractions.
Even though I knew it was already late and entry was impossible, I’d come all this way. So I still walked the full 2 km to reach the gate and have a look.
The most iconic feature of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is that long flight of steps.
Walking back from the Mausoleum to the metro station, I simply couldn’t manage any more, so I hopped on a little tourist train. For 10 yuan (cash only), it took us right to the station entrance.
Nanjing Stop 5: Shopping + Food = Deji Plaza
Before visiting Deji Plaza, I imagined it was a pedestrian street. Turns out it’s a huge upscale shopping mall, probably the most cosmopolitan shopping centre in Nanjing. It’s packed with luxury brands, and you can even grab a cup of HEYTEA here!
You can reach Deji Plaza directly by metro. The lower ground floor is full of world cuisines.
We spotted a beautiful cashier at HEYTEA inside.
Nanjing’s HEYTEA store is especially large. They even set aside two pink balloon areas for visitors to take photos.
Nanjing Stop 6: Visiting Line Friends
The Nanjing Line Friends is the largest in central China; I went and found it truly enormous.
The store’s functional zones are clearly defined: 1. merchandise display area, 2. café zone, 3. photo zones featuring the various characters.
Nanjing’s Line Friends is in Catherine Square, basically a food-centric area built around eating. Besides the photo ops inside the store, outside there’s a giant clock tower surrounded by Line and his friends. Since I went at night, I didn’t take photos outside. The indoor space is also huge – it really is the biggest in central China, much larger than the ones I’ve been to in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. Tokyo’s is also very large, with three floors, while Korea’s is only a single floor but extends deep inside.
I have now collected Line Friends from seven cities – I can summon the dragon!
Nanjing Stop 7: Seven Must-Visit Food Spots
People live on food, so now we enter the key highlighted area of Nanjing – the food spots!
(1) Gaoyou Noodle Shop
In Nanjing, it was a simple bowl of yangchun noodles that completely captivated me. A friend strongly recommended this place known only to locals, saying they’d been brought here just a month earlier by a nephew of the gourmet Wang Zengqi to find it.
10 yuan gets you one bowl of noodles + one bowl of fish soup + one fried egg. Incredible value! And it was so delicious that I finished it in one breath, utterly unstoppable.
Located in the food-packed Xinjiekou dining area, this place hides deep in the alleys. Walk 50 metres and you’re at Mingwalang, itself lined with tea and beverage shops.
For the yangchun noodles, I highly recommend the dry-tossed version. I truly didn’t expect a bowl of plain-looking, chilli-free dry noodles to be this delicious. Just soy sauce and black pepper – so good I polished it off within five minutes. The fish soup was milky white, rich and mellow, with over a dozen chopped scallions; I downed it in one go! Add a fried egg, and after finishing, a genuine feeling of happiness washed over me.
The shop is tricky to find, hidden down an inner lane, and the space is tiny – less than 5 square metres, fits about 10 people max before you’re bumping elbows. Yet both locals and out-of-towners come specifically for this bowl of yangchun noodles, so business is booming. The aunty was very warm.
It’s the most delicious thing I ate in my two days in Nanjing, hands down. Even now, thinking about it leaves a deep aftertaste.
The husband just buried his head in cooking noodles while the wife stir-fried the toppings and busily greeted customers. Scallions, pepper and lard created an incredible fragrance, paired with the fine Gaoyou noodles. The clear, mellow fish broth warmed the stomach. You clear the bowl in under five minutes. Only then do you understand Mr. Wang’s words: slowly simmer the wind and flowers, gently stew the snow and moon, and in the end, it’s just a bowl of… yangchun noodles. So good.
(2) Xinjiekou Mingwalang has many other snacks. The Hongze Lake small-fish guotie (pan-fried pastry) and the ji dan guan bing (egg-stuffed pancake) each required at least a 30-minute wait. Queue up, queue up – after all that, I finally got my hands on them. Verdict: typical internet-famous food, just okay. The pepper taste was too strong; I felt like I’d stumbled into a Western Regions eatery. I felt hot all over after eating and itchy all over. Other things you can try at Mingwalang include pidu noodles (fried-skin noodles), laotou gaijiao (old man’s rice topping), stinky tofu...
Mingwalang is packed with internet-famous food shops. There was a soufflé pancake place with an incredibly long queue.
The name Mingwalang dates back to the early Ming dynasty. It was one of the main commercial streets in the Ming and Qing dynasties, with wide roads, a central official corridor, and tightly packed shops – a bustling commercial hub. On Ming dynasty maps, Mingwalang is already marked, showing its huge importance at the time. “Mingwa” (bright tiles) were translucent tiles used by civilians for windows and skylights, made by grinding thin slices from semi-transparent oyster or clam shells. According to local records, “Oyster light comes from the sea near Yangjiang. A kind of oyster, without meat; its shell is treated and placed in window partitions – thin and bright, hence called mingwa.”
There was a row of bubble tea shops. I chose one and bought a cup of the most popular “brown sugar milk tea” – the taste was no surprise.
(3) A Bowl of Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup
When in Nanjing, you must have a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup. You can go for a chain brand – either Yazhibao (Duck Delight) or Huiwei Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup.
Huiwei Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup is fully systematised, with condiments neatly portioned. Within five minutes, vermicelli, seasonings and toppings are all assembled in the bowl. The speed and efficiency are impressive. Paired with soup dumplings, it satisfied my Chinese stomach perfectly.
At Yadebao, I’ll skip over the slightly dry crab roe soup dumplings and focus solely on the super deluxe duck blood vermicelli soup. It makes you want to praise Buddha. Duck heart, duck gizzard, duck liver, duck intestine – richly abundant and wonderful, I couldn’t help but weep. Another mouthful of vermicelli and a swallow of duck broth – that’s the sublime clarity of all things. I ate it, and it was delicious, especially perfect for this slightly cool autumn night in Jinling.
You could also add on a duck leg + a piece of crispy rice crust.
(4) Laomendong Food Compilation
Come to Laomendong, and you’ll be snacking the whole way through:
(5) Republic Red Mansion (Minguo Honggongguan)
This place became famous because of Wang Sicong; he called ahead to make a reservation.
Honestly, it’s a bit pricey. The waitstaff and decor all embody a Republic-era vibe – full of gimmickry. The dishes are beautifully presented, and the flavours are decent, nothing exceptional. But the price is rather steep.
It’s a restaurant mainly serving Shanghainese cuisine. The interior mimics early Republic-style décor, with fresh flowers, green plants, and adorable parrots constantly chirping. Warm floral wallpaper, comfortable European-style backrest chairs, good privacy – it’s generally quite elegant and cosy.
The niuyan beef cubes are their signature dish; the flavour was pretty good.
(6) Zhuliguan Teahouse
This Jiangsu-Zhejiang restaurant, near the Olympic Sports Centre, is a well-known all-in-one teahouse where you can both drink tea and eat Jiangsu-Zhejiang dishes. Right at the entrance is a bamboo wall with running water.
It has four floors, with private rooms on the top floor. The décor makes abundant use of bamboo, giving it a classical, antique feel. The private rooms are quiet, suitable for business discussions.
The specialty is lion’s head meatball; although fatty, it’s very tender. But I find Jiangsu-Zhejiang dishes generally tend to be on the salty side. Private rooms require a minimum tea purchase of 288 yuan before use.
The Shenxian chicken (fairy chicken) is tasty, but after eating for a while, it becomes cloyingly greasy.
(7) This was a café I stumbled upon that had only been open a few days: PPP Cafe.
It opened on 29 October, and I visited on 2 November. It took 227 days to transform an 80s-style small western-style building into this new café, located opposite Golden Eagle World.
I had originally planned to have breakfast at Golden Eagle World, but I saw this café and simply couldn’t walk past.
Overall, it’s a café where the environment outweighs the taste. Both coffee and desserts are pricey.
I ordered a cinnamon mocha for 53 yuan. A longan mille crêpe cake actually cost 73 yuan. The taste was utterly mediocre.
Currently, it has three floors, but only the 1st and 2nd are open to the public. The 3rd floor hasn’t been finished yet.
On the second floor stood a server. That morning, I was the only customer up there. After seeing I was about finished, she came over and asked for my opinion. I said straight out: the prices are too high, the flavours are average, the mille crêpe had absolutely no delightful surprise – quite bland, and became cloying after a while.
Truly, this is a café perfect for taking photos. When the sunlight is abundant, it really is beautiful.
Nanjing Accommodation – Xinjiekou
In Nanjing, I recommend staying around Xinjiekou. It’s a dazzling food paradise, everything is nearby, and you can walk to Deji Plaza. As a member, I stayed at my usual Orange Crystal Hotel. I could walk out for a late-night snack and walk right back – so convenient.
After feasting on Nanjing’s delicacies, I contentedly boarded my bullet train to Yiwu, kicking off my Hengdian adventure.
Overview of Hengdian World Studios
Before visiting Hengdian World Studios, I thought it was just one scenic area! Once there, I discovered the whole town consists of many, many scenic spots. Tickets are sold as packages, valid for 2–3 days. So when you go to Hengdian, it’s best to get a combo ticket and selectively visit the main areas to make it worthwhile.
Built in 1996 to support the renowned director Xie Jin’s shooting of the historical epic The Opium War, the studios have since fully opened to the public. Hengdian World Studios has become the world’s largest film & TV production base and China’s only “National Film & Television Industry Experimental Zone.” It’s been dubbed “China’s Hollywood” by the US magazine Hollywood.
Since 1996, Hengdian Group has invested a total of 3 billion yuan to construct shooting bases spanning thousands of years of history and gathering features from both northern and southern China: Guangzhou Street, Hong Kong Street, Ming & Qing Palace Garden, Qin King Palace, Qingming Shanghe Tu, Huaxia Cultural Park, Ming & Qing Residential Houses Expo City, Dream Valley, Pingyan Cave Mansion, Dazhi Zen Temple, Red Army Long March Expo City, Spring & Autumn – Tang Garden, New Yuanming Palace, and many more – 17 bases in total, plus two super-sized modern soundstages. Hengdian Group truly has its hands in many industries; Hengdian World Studios is just one project under their film & television company. So Hengdian’s development really relies on Hengdian Group. I chose four core areas: Qin King Palace + Qingming Shanghe Tu + Ming & Qing Palace Garden + Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street. This ticket allows two days’ use – meaning you can enter each area once within two days.
Hengdian World Studios offers a 5-site combined ticket for 435 yuan: Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street + Ming & Qing Palace Garden + Qin King Palace + Qingming Shanghe Tu + Ming & Qing Residential Houses Expo City. Or a 3-site + Dream Valley combo for 490 yuan. Since I didn’t visit Ming & Qing Residential Houses Expo City, I ended up wasting one attraction on my ticket.
The Qin King Palace area was built in 1997 for director Chen Kaige’s historical epic The Emperor and the Assassin. Covering 800 mu (approx. 53 hectares) with a built-up area of 110,000 square metres, it features 27 magnificent palatial halls. The main palace, “Hall of Four Seas Returning to One,” stands at 44.8 metres tall with an area of 17,169 square metres. A towering 2,289-metre-long, 18-metre-high city wall contrasts splendidly with the palaces, vividly expressing Qin Shi Huang’s grand ambition to unify the six kingdoms under heaven. There is also a 120-metre-long “Qin-Han Street,” covering 20 mu and 6,000 square metres, which fully displays the street scene and atmosphere of the Qin and Han periods. The yellow dust of ancient roads, the clash of golden armour and iron horses, architecture of the Yan and Zhao states, and Qin-Han culture – all are authentically recreated here. This is also the birthplace of famous films like Hero and The Forbidden Kingdom. Back then, the designers on Chen Kaige’s team spent four years of painstaking effort to create this grand blueprint for Qin King Palace, modelled after the Xianyang Palace, the most important palace of the Qin Dynasty.
Doesn’t this feel super familiar? It’s a filming location for a huge number of films and TV dramas:
For example, A Step Into the Past, The Emperor Han Wu, The Promise, Beauty's Rival in Palace, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Swords of Legends, Dragon Blade, Prince of Lan Ling, Legend of Lu Zhen, The Legend of Mi Yue, The Virtuous Queen of Han, The Legend of Qin, The Empress of China, A Happy Life, Legend of Zu Mountain, God of War Zhao Yun, Hero's Rise in Troubled Times, Chinese Paladin 3, and over 500 other works.
Qin King Palace often holds collective Han-style weddings, which are quite spectacular.
The palace has three performances worth seeing. The indoor show I watched was a reenactment, on the original site where the duel between Donnie Yen and Jet Li from Hero was filmed. It lasted about 15 minutes. I have to say the sound system in Hengdian is amazing – the clashing weapons were incredibly intense. The actors were also flying around on wires.
This show is called “Hero Sword Duel.” Showtime: 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 16:00.
Location: East Side Hall, Qin King Palace.
Another show is “Dreaming Back to Qin-Han”: sparked by a modern youth’s curiosity and confusion about Qin-Han history. From a participant’s perspective, it looks at the differing perceptions of the two emperors regarding the Xiongnu problem, and reveals their missed communication. The two emperors each state their case and opinions. Presented vividly like a 3D movie, you magically witness Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di having a face-to-face conversation. You can even experience the fun of characters playing hide-and-seek with you. There are many moments of illusion-like transformation, leaving you with endless reflection and the joyful feeling of time travel! Showtime: 09:00; 14:00; 16:00. Location: Xiwang Tower, Qin King Palace.
The third, “Terror of the Dragon Emperor,” uses the exciting storyline from Hollywood’s The Mummy 3, which was shot here, and presents it in Dark Ride form. It lets visitors ride through the movie, facing off against mummies alongside the protagonists and experiencing the film’s immense charm. While riding the track, you not only experience 4D effects but also the G-forces, sense of direction, speed, vibrations, and body positioning from the track car, making the on-site effects even more realistic. I heard that Hengdian Group even has a dedicated actor-training university precisely to cultivate performance talent for these in-park shows. Show times: May–Sep: 08:30–16:30; Jan–Apr, Oct–Dec: 09:00–16:00. Location: Dragon Emperor Terror Theatre, Qin King Palace.
Qingming Shanghe Tu (Along the River During the Qingming Festival) is right next to Qin King Palace. If you’ve been to Songcheng in Hangzhou, it looks quite similar. Both are built based on the famous scroll painting “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” by Zhang Zeduan of the Song Dynasty.
Hengdian World Studios still relies heavily on group tours as its main travel model. Every scenic area entrance has large parking lots; if they’re full of coaches, that means lots of tour groups. When I visited Qingming Shanghe Tu, a steady stream of groups was arriving.
And I happened to bump into a film crew shooting. Hengdian World Studios is very experienced in coordinating between tourists and crews – they don’t interfere with each other and coexist harmoniously.
This was the crew’s equipment truck.
This theatre can hold over a thousand spectators for a performance. Every large scenic area in Hengdian has sizeable shows, which have become one of the reasons to visit. These aren’t just small-scale skits, but truly massive shows involving hundreds or even thousands of performers.
Three signature shows of the Qingming Shanghe Tu area at Hengdian World Studios:
“Breaking the Heaven Gate Formation with Laughter”: Showtimes: 09:00, 15:00. Location: Dianjiantai.
“A Dream of Bianliang”: Showtimes: 10:00, 14:00. Location: Dream of Bianliang Theatre (photo above).
“The Amorous Emperor and the Phoenix”: Showtimes: 11:00, 13:00. Location: Amorous Emperor and the Phoenix Theatre.
Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street at Hengdian World Studios
My original impression of Hengdian was that it only featured imitation ancient palaces for period dramas. I was surprised to learn that the first scenic area that started their fortune was actually Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street, built for the filming of The Opium War. The Guangzhou Street area was built to accommodate director Xie Jin’s historical epic The Opium War, the birthplace of Hengdian World Studios. Later, Hong Kong Street was expanded, with criss-crossing ancient streets and the “Pearl River” flowing through. The two streets meet right inside Hengdian.
I visited Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street twice, both in daytime and at night. I think it’s even more beautiful at night.
At night, the Guangzhou Street section (shows) is not open, but Hong Kong Street is fully open to visitors. The neon signs on Hong Kong Street are all fully animated, and many vendors sell snacks and drinks, bustling with activity. The night-time Hong Kong Street genuinely gives you the feeling of having time-travelled back to 19th-century Hong Kong – very vivid, very immersive.
Guangzhou Street was built in August 1996 for The Opium War; Hong Kong Street was completed in September 1998. With their realistic architectural reconstructions, they artistically reproduce the old face of Canton and the charm of Hong Kong around 1840.
Hong Kong Street features over 30 European-style buildings symbolising the former colonial rule: Pedder Street, Chater Road, Connaught Road, Queen’s Road, Statue Square, Government House, St. John’s Cathedral, Dent & Co. Building, and Victoria Barracks, faithfully recreating the bustling scenes of Central and Victoria City in 19th-century Hong Kong.
This is a bubble tea shop. It sells Hong Kong-style milk tea and operates from a “cart shop.” The text on it is quite interesting; look carefully:
Hengdian Accommodation: Themed Rooms on Hong Kong Street
Why am I only talking about Hengdian accommodation now? Because Hengdian has accommodation everywhere; you won’t lack for options. But I recommend staying inside Hong Kong Street. Many of the neon-lit buildings now hide themed hotels. I think it’s much more interesting than staying in some regular 3-, 4-, or 5-star hotel or a private guesthouse in town. For example, this “Marine Police Headquarters” is actually a naval-themed room based on the movie Rob-B-Hood:
Rob-B-Hood is a 2006 comedy action film directed by Benny Chan, starring Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Xu Guanjing, and Gao Yuanyuan. It tells the story of a pair of small-time thieves who steal a baby, leading to a series of hilarious yet touching events. It doesn’t mean the film was shot here; rather, they’ve turned the idea into a kid-friendly themed room. Kids will definitely love it.
The price is around 200–300 yuan and can be booked on Ctrip.
Every stairwell on each floor has murals in different styles, and there’s even a thoughtful sign on the steps: Best Photo Spot. Haha.
Even the toilet is retro naval style.
Then, switch to another building on Hong Kong Street, and it transforms into early Republican-era themed rooms:
I genuinely think staying a night in a themed room on Hong Kong Street is way more fun than a hotel in Hengdian town.
Finally, a photo with me the female lead in it:
And, Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street now provides free Republican-era costumes for visitors to wear – perfect for photo ops.
Daytime Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street, the “Pearl River.”
There are also timed shows on Guangzhou Street. For instance, “Raging Sea Battle” – the sound effects were excellent, but otherwise it fell far short of the water-based explosion and battle shows I’ve seen at Ocean Park Hong Kong or Universal Studios in the US. Ten minutes, and aside from the audio, I had no idea what was going on, even though it was supposedly based on “the Destruction of Opium at Humen.” The plot setup needs improvement.
Guangzhou Street & Hong Kong Street is right next to Ming & Qing Palace Garden, the centrepiece of Hengdian World Studios, because the super popular palace dramas Story of Yanxi Palace and Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace were filmed here. A 10-minute walk and you’re there. I spent the longest time at Ming & Qing Palace Garden, basically covering every corner. It’s truly beautiful and grand, especially in good weather – every shot is a blockbuster.
Now, follow me into the highlight of this trip:
Remember, when visiting Ming & Qing Palace Garden, tour from left to right, so you don’t miss the best bits. If you’ve watched Story of Yanxi Palace, you can actually find many of the filming locations here.
Ming & Qing Palace Garden was built as a 1:0.9 scale replica of the Forbidden City (Palace Museum). It references Ming and Qing period palace construction methods, using the unique building techniques of a film studio, imitating the ceremonial norms of the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties, while also integrating early Republican-era architectural styles. It brings together four major architectural series: imperial palaces, royal gardens, princely mansions, government offices, and hutong courtyard houses. It authentically recreates the official residences, marketplaces, streets and palaces of various historical periods in the capital. It features many historical structures like Chessboard Street, Chengtianmen Square, Thousand-step Corridor, Civil and Military Platforms, Golden Water River, and Jade Belt Bridge – a gold and jade splendour of imperial palaces, a seamless harmony of garden lakes, resplendent dragon towers and phoenix eaves, and majestic palace squares. Since its opening, Ming & Qing Palace Garden has drawn film crews from all over with its cultural appeal.
On the left side, film crews are often shooting. I once again stumbled upon crew props trucks. They were filming a period drama inside. In Hengdian, it’s really easy to encounter crews and stars. Usually, they don’t let tourists randomly enter the shooting areas, but you can peer in from the entrance. If you enter the palace through the central gate, you’ll miss many interesting things on the periphery.
Entering Ming & Qing Palace Garden, you’ll immediately spot a private venture: a hot-air balloon, 50 yuan per ride.
Ming & Qing Palace Garden is truly perfect for shooting blockbuster-style photos.
And all along the way, clear signs guide you to where the Empress’s palace from *Story of Yanxi Palace* is, where the Emperor’s palace is, and various life-sized cardboard celebrity figures suddenly pop up in front of you.
There are four shows in Ming & Qing Palace Garden, performed twice each morning and afternoon.
Over a hundred films and TV series have been shot here, including Chinese Odyssey, Curse of the Golden Flower, War and Beauty, and The Deer and the Cauldron. In today’s age of hit harem dramas, Ming & Qing Palace Garden draws crews in swarms. Popular series like Palace: The Lock Heart Jade, Empresses in the Palace, Startling by Each Step, Deep Palace Conspiracy, and Palace II were all filmed here. You might easily spot busy star actors at work.
There are a few privately operated paid amusements within the scenic area, like archery here.
At this warhorse arena, there’s a show called “Eight Banners Cavalry Battle,” featuring various equestrian stunt performances.
In addition to showtimes, this arena also offers paid horseback riding activities at other times.
This is the Imperial Garden – many court dramas have scenes of strolling in the Imperial Garden, shot right here.
Because the actual Forbidden City in Beijing is a highly protected cultural relic, filming often requires modifying or even damaging buildings according to plot needs. That’s what led to the creation of these replica buildings for film and television cultural creation.
The main buildings of Ming & Qing Palace Garden include Taihe Hall (Hall of Supreme Harmony), Qianqingmen Square, Qianqing Palace, Kunning Palace, Shufang Study, Chengtianmen, Meridian Gate, Yangxin Hall, the Grand Council, West Sixth Palace, and many more. There are also historical landscapes like the Imperial Road, Civil and Military Platforms, Golden Water River, and Jade Belt Bridge. Its glittering imperial halls, naturally harmonious garden lakes, resplendent dragon towers and phoenix eaves, and awe-inspiring palace squares make it a delightful place for visitors to explore the deep charms of the imperial palace, trace history, and admire the millennia-old capital. Although a “clone,” its aura is equally majestic. Away from the central axis, it’s a whole different world: transplanted old Beijing grey-brick houses, along with Wengcheng (barbican), Tianqiao, Eight Great Hutongs… many elements that vanished from Beijing are recreated here.
This gate couldn’t be more familiar – it’s where Wei Yingluo frequently appears. Hehe.
I don’t care about which palace is which; I’m here to produce blockbuster photos. I want to capture every beautiful thing as best I can.
Finally, I reached the Empress’s Yanxi Palace. Haha, I was searching everywhere for a swing.
But this swing is vastly different from the one Wei Yingluo sat on. I searched the entire Ming & Qing Palace Garden, and this was the only swing.
Actually, I really wanted to go inside. Hahaha.
To the right of Ming & Qing Palace Garden are civilian residences and a market area – the homes of noble families outside the city gates. Literally separated by just a wall. Every time I watch a drama, I imagine the city gate scenes are shot far away, but actually they’re all filmed right here, palace interior and exterior scenes done in one spot.
This area also has market stall setups, and another crew was about to start filming.
Ming & Qing Palace Garden is truly massive. I entered at 9:30 am and didn’t come out until 1:30 pm. I walked everywhere on foot, but for 2–4 people, you can rent a pedal cart. Pay by scanning a QR code.
This wax museum is a separate paid attraction.
If you want to fulfil a dream of being an actor, there’s a dedicated area where professionals can tailor-make a short film just for you. Pricing is as follows:
I actually think places like Ming & Qing Palace Garden and Qin King Palace are perfect for shooting period costume blockbusters. Hengdian World Studios also lets you book costumes online, with various photo quantity and style packages available. There are solo artistic portrait packages, and also family or group photo packages. Of course, you can also bring your own ancient costume and shoot your own photos – blockbuster shots in minutes.
Sometimes, you can’t help but admire the aesthetics and traditions of ancient people. It really is something to be proud of. What is national is universal.
