Post-Pandemic Reunion in Hubei: A 4-Day, 3-Night Trip to Ancient Capital Jingzhou, Covering Both Instagram-Worthy Spots and Historical Sites

Jingzhou lies in the fertile hinterland of the Jianghan Plain. Starting from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, 20 generations of Chu kings built their capitals here, and the brilliant Chu culture began here. Jingzhou is also a famous city of the Three Kingdoms, the capital of 14 emperors, and the hometown of over 130 prime ministers... In short, this place is rich in history and culture, with vast rivers, majestic mountains, and peaceful lakes—endless scenery in Jingzhou. This time, we stayed in Jingzhou for four days and three nights, visiting both historically rich cultural sites and modern Instagram-worthy spots.

Day 1: From Jingzhou to Weishui Scenic Area in Songzi, experiencing the Weishui artificial freshwater lake, Asia's No. 1 Dam, and camping activities. (Stay at Weishui Auto Campground)

Day 2: Return from Songzi to Jingzhou, visit the Jingzhou Jingchu Intangible Cultural Heritage Skills Inheritance Institute, and feel the power of intangible cultural heritage. (Stay at Jingzhou Greenland Hotel)

Day 3: Visit the Chuwang Chariot and Horse Array Scenic Area to see the Chu King's tomb chariot and horse pit ruins. In the afternoon, visit Binyang Tower on the ancient Jingzhou City Wall, and in the evening, take a boat ride on the Jingzhou moat to enjoy the light show. (Stay at Jingzhou Greenland Hotel)

Day 4: Visit Jingzhou Fantawild Oriental Heritage Theme Park. After watching the afternoon performances, head back. (Stay at Jingzhou Greenland Hotel)

Weishui Auto Campground

We were thrilled that this was the country's first five-star quality auto campground, so the accommodation and dining conditions were certainly top-notch. Although the weather wasn't great and it was a weekday, with fewer guests in the campground, it gave us plenty of time and space to fully experience this five-star campground.

First of all, there were many room types. Let's start with the family villas we stayed in. These come with one king bed and a set of bunk beds. There are two styles: one is the ocean theme, with ocean-inspired decor, a loft, and a cool ship's bow design. The other is the "Up" theme, with the room decorated like a castle. If a family comes for a vacation, this kind of family villa is perfect. There's even a suspension bridge between two villas—so fun!

I really liked the tent series. The "Wild Luxury" tent is very luxurious, with a large living room and two king-bed rooms. The "Starry Sky" room has a round bed, perfect for stargazing at night.

RVs are also available for accommodation. There are several RV models, each with an independent living room, bedroom, and bathroom, plus a small yard in front—very cozy.

There are also several forest cabins. This place feels especially great for taking photos. If sunlight filters through, the dappled shadows are incredibly beautiful, just like on the rainy day we arrived. Everything in the forest seemed saturated in color, like an oil painting, or as if we had stepped into Alice in Wonderland.

In the evening, the campground offers bonfire barbecue, but there is also its own restaurant in the adjacent holiday hotel. We had lunch there, with a full table of dishes—Jingzhou specialties cooked with a touch of our own local flavors. It had both the taste of Jingzhou and the familiar taste of home—fantastic!

Greenland Pullman Hotel

This brand of hotel is quite upscale. We chose to stay here not only because of its famous name but mainly for its location—just across the street from the high-speed rail station. There are also many nearby attractions, all within less than ten kilometers from the ancient city, the aquarium, and Fantawild.

Lunch here deserves a thumbs-up. We had Qiji Biji Fish Maw Hotpot, Gong'an Beef Tripe Hotpot, Garlic小龙虾, and Boiled Fortune Fish—all Jingzhou specialties—and they tasted great.

We spent our first night at the Weishui Auto Campground. Of course, staying here means there should be fun activities to match the vacation vibe. As mentioned, the Weishui Auto Campground is located within the Weishui Scenic Area in Songzi, Jingzhou. This scenic spot is already an Instagram-worthy destination. Besides the five-star accommodation that felt like Alice in Wonderland, there are plenty of fun entertainment options.

For families, the kids' playground can easily consume a whole day. You can play in the water with the children, and the coolest activity is the jungle adventure. Unfortunately, it rained heavily the day we went, so for safety reasons, we couldn't try it—a bit of a pity.

After strolling around the campground, we headed to Asia's No. 1 Dam, another must-visit spot in the Weishui Scenic Area. This dam was built in the 1950s. After 22 years of hard work, the locals built it brick by brick, taming the once-rampaging dragon of the Xiang-E region into a benevolent water source that benefits five counties.

Today, this dam is primarily used for irrigation and flood control, but it also serves as a large water conservancy project for power generation, aquaculture, shipping, water supply, and tourism. Walking on this giant dragon, looking at the remnants of the dam construction, one can't help but feel the wisdom and strength of our ancestors, and we were filled with deep admiration. However, it's also a great place for photos, especially when you come with a group of friends—there's a certain Taiwanese-style freshness to it.

Leaving the dam, we arrived at the dock, where water sports were a must-try. We could take a boat to Nanshan Island, but we didn't have time to climb up, so we just played by the dock. Riding a jet ski was a definite—don't worry, there are professional guys to keep you safe. You can choose a calm ride or go for some thrilling moves.

Besides jet skis, there were water sofas and banana boats that I tried. The water sofa had a tail-whip action that was quite exciting. If you're willing to get wet, you can follow a professional coach to experience the must-try Instagram-worthy water entertainment—the water jet levitator—so much fun!

After a wild day yesterday, we wanted something quieter today, so our first stop was the Jingchu Intangible Cultural Heritage Skills Inheritance Institute. Before coming to Jingzhou, we already knew a bit about this city. Jingzhou is not only a historical ancient capital but also rich in intangible cultural heritage.

At the Inheritance Institute, we first took a tour. Wow, there are so many intangible cultural heritage projects here! According to the guide, they have successfully applied for 9 national-level, 33 provincial-level, and 51 municipal-level intangible cultural heritage protection projects. There are two main halls: one introduces the inheritors, and the other showcases local traditional wooden items and lacquerware.

But what fascinated me the most was the lacquerware exhibition hall, which displayed all kinds of lacquerware with various functions. I think every woman who comes here will love it. Especially since I learned that the raw material for lacquerware comes from a type of tree. Throughout the hall, from the Chu-style phoenix-and-tiger drum stand to everyday tea sets and bowls, from exquisite finished crafts to the manufacturing process of lacquerware, everything is on display. Every piece of lacquerware is impressive and extremely delicate.

After touring the main hall, we entered the intangible cultural heritage experience area. At the kite workshop, we learned from the kite inheritor that even a small kite requires meticulous craftsmanship to fly high, far, and beautifully.

At the clay sculpture workshop, the inheritor's young apprentice was busy making a rockery. In the Inheritance Institute, many local middle school students come after school to learn intangible cultural heritage skills. Not just the clay sculpture workshop, but every project has apprentices. It's really great that heritage is cultivated from a young age.

The venue is really large; experiencing every project would take a long time. Later, we saw shell sculpture, guqin and ancient music, embroidery, gourd painting, etc. They all looked interesting to me. I really hope to have time next time to learn one of these skills or try them out myself.

"In the north, there are the Terracotta Warriors; in the south, there are the Chariot and Horse Pits." Everyone knows the Terracotta Warriors are one of the Eight Wonders of the World, but the chariot and horse pits in the south are also an awe-inspiring burial relic. You don't know until you see them—once you do, you're amazed. The words "Unique in China, No. 1 in the World" stand out prominently, and from here, the "true form" of the chariot and horse pits appeared before us one by one.

According to the guide, the Chu King's Chariot and Horse Array is believed to be the tomb of a Chu king surnamed Xiong from the early Warring States period, hence the name Xiong's Tomb National Archaeological Site Park. This tomb is currently the largest, best-preserved, and most completely distributed high-ranking noble cemetery of the Chu State in China and even the world, representing the highest level of Chu culture during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. In the picture below, the hill in the distance is the main tomb, and the rows of purple-red plants in front mark the burial pits of sacrificial victims. The color of the tent canopy indicates the gender of the person buried below.

During archaeological excavations, a large number of sacrificial tombs, sacrificial pits, and a large-scale chariot and horse array were discovered around the main tomb. As we all know, the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were marked by constant warfare. Every state had its own military formations, with chariots and horses being the main military force at the time. Therefore, sacrificing chariots and horses in an array was a privilege reserved for the highest royal authority.

Entering the chariot and horse pit exhibition hall, I was instantly shocked by the remains before me. These over 40 chariot and horse pits are the actual archaeological excavation site. So far, the remains of 43 chariots and 164 horses have been unearthed. Although half are still underground, it's easy to see that the scale of the sacrificial chariot and horse array was enormous, indicating that the Chu king in power at that time had a very strong national strength.

According to archaeological findings, the chariot in pit No. 34 had very ornate decorations and was surrounded by guards, suggesting it was the chariot of the Chu king himself. Each pit yielded a large number of burial goods. Although we can't see the original artifacts, we can imagine their splendor from the pictures. The exhibition hall also displays life-sized replicas of the war chariots. As more chariot and horse pits are excavated, we will surely gain a deeper understanding of the Chu king's military culture.

Outside the exhibition hall, there is an archery range in the scenic area. After learning about history, you can have some fun at the archery range and imagine the bloody battles of that era.

Jingzhou is a city of historical and cultural significance, and its reputation as an ancient capital is well-deserved. In the urban area, many historical relics remain, such as the ancient city wall.

The ancient city wall is a must-visit. It was first built during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The wall is 10.5 kilometers in circumference and 8.83 meters high, with six gates, each topped with a gate tower. This time we came to the most famous one, Binyang Tower. The city wall we see today is mostly not from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods; most of it was built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The brick wall is winding, tall, and solid, making it one of the best-preserved ancient city walls in China.

To explore the ancient city, you can cycle or walk along the wall to experience its grandeur. You can also climb the gate tower like we did to feel the martial spirit of the past. Actually, the Jingzhou ancient city has been quite popular recently because the hit variety show "Chinese Restaurant" filmed here, which is one reason we came to check it out.

Climbing up the ancient city wall to Binyang Tower—the eastern gate tower built during the Ming dynasty—we ascended step by step. Inside, the famous Three Kingdoms figures immediately caught our eye. Large bronze statues of Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Zhao Zilong, some seated and some standing, were incredibly lifelike.

When we reached the second floor, the first thing we saw was the spot where Zhang Liang and others shopped in "Chinese Restaurant." Stepping onto the tower's terrace, the view of Jingzhou was truly beautiful. However, the ancient city wall seemed to separate Jingzhou's antiquity from its modernity. On one side was the old city, on the other was modern Jingzhou, with the city's largest phoenix sculpture square just across the river in the new district. The scenery was stunning, and we couldn't help but take photos here.

Seeing the night view here is the highlight of visiting the ancient city wall. After dark, the light show on the city wall and Binyang Tower begins grandly at 8 PM, lasting about eight minutes.

We chose to watch it from a boat. Before the show, we cruised on the lake, taking in Jingzhou's unbeatable night scenery. At exactly 8 PM, everyone raised their cameras in anticipation. On the distant ancient city wall, a light show painted through lights told us the story of a civilized ancient capital—Jingzhou.

After the light show ended, we landed at the Phoenix Square on the opposite bank. Many locals were there in the evening—some dancing, some setting up stalls, some enjoying the cool air with their kids. Under the massive phoenix sculpture, looking at the ancient Jingzhou city tower across the river, it was both cultural and martial, both dynamic and static, both ancient and modern. This place not only has a sense of historical vicissitude but also a charming modern vibe—fantastic!

Finally, we arrived at Fantawild. I had long seen various posts about Fantawild online. As a theme park enthusiast, I've been to many amusement parks, but Fantawild is such a big name that I had never visited. This time, I finally made up for that regret.

From the grand, Chu-culture-inspired entrance gate, it was clear that this Fantawild was not just an amusement park; it was also the only theme park in China deeply integrating Jingchu cultural characteristics. Sure enough, as we walked in, we were greeted by a group of young men and women dressed in ancient costumes—it almost felt like we had traveled back in time.

That day marked the first anniversary of Fantawild's opening. A celebration was already underway in the square, with magic shows and performances. We were eager to go on the rides, so we didn't keep watching the show. But as we walked toward the entertainment area, we almost forgot about the rides because the entire area was filled with buildings with a strong classical atmosphere, making it feel like a lively Chu market.

Of course, there was also a mix of styles. Around the square inside the gate were distinctive buildings from various regions: Tibetan architecture, Guizhou Dong village architecture, Xishuangbanna Dai architecture, etc. They blended together in an interesting way.

Without further ado, we first went to "Fly with You"—my favorite part. There are six levels. After fastening the seatbelt, the machine pushed us up into the air. As the music of "My Motherland and Me" played, in just six minutes we traveled across the great rivers and mountains of the motherland. The music was so powerful, and the naked-eye 3D effect was fantastic—no graininess at all. It stirred up a deep sense of patriotism in me; I was truly moved.

Then we went on bumper cars, carousel, pirate ship, and other thrilling rides. The experience was great. We worked up a sweat on the bumper cars—you can imagine how intense we were! But after the carousel and pirate ship, we felt a bit dizzy, so we decided to have lunch and rest. We chose the fast food at Jiuzhou Food Garden in the park.

The afternoon was the highlight, as we had two performances pre-booked. One was "Qu Yuan," representing the culture of Qu Yuan, and the other was "Chu Music," representing Chu music culture. Each performance lasted about 20 minutes, with different showtimes that perfectly connected. "Qu Yuan" started at 2 PM, and "Chu Music" at 3 PM. We had to enter 20 minutes early. But there were no assigned seats, so if you wanted to sit in front, you needed to line up early.

I thought both performances would be large-scale live-action shows, but surprisingly, they both used high-tech means such as laser multimedia, 3D effects, miniature sets, and live performers. "Qu Yuan," as the name suggests, tells the story of the great poet Qu Yuan's life achievements and his sacrifice for his country. "Chu Music" is grand in scale, presenting the history and culture of Chu's musical instruments, dance, and music. Using high-tech, it integrated hundreds of chime bells—representing Chu musical instruments—into the performance, which was very impressive and stunning.

Our trip to Jingzhou, Hubei, came to an end. This time, we not only gained an in-depth understanding of Jingchu culture but also visited many Instagram-worthy spots. Jingzhou is safe, Hubei is safe. With many scenic spots in Hubei offering free admission, let's go support Hubei together.