[Entering the Ancient City of Jingzhou] Half of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Tells the Story of Jingzhou

Like many friends, I first learned about Jingzhou through the 'Three Kingdoms.'

'Guan Yu lost Jingzhou due to carelessness,' 'Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou,' 'Cao Cao seized Jingzhou'... So many well-known Three Kingdoms stories happened here. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, Jingzhou was a place of strategic importance. It is said that only by dividing Jingzhou into three parts could one divide the empire. Half of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms tells stories about Jingzhou. How could I not come and see such a Jingzhou?

I have been to Wuhan, Enshi, and Xianning in Hubei before, but this is my first time in Jingzhou. Not long ago, a very popular variety show 'Chinese Restaurant' had an episode filmed in our great Jingzhou. Jingzhou's beauty is becoming known to more and more friends. This time, we also came to check in to this riverside city where long history and culture meet modern civilization.

D1 Arrive at Jingzhou Station – Songzi Weishui Tourism Area

D2 Weishui Artificial Freshwater Lake, Weishui National Forest Park – Jingzhou

D3 Jingchu Intangible Cultural Heritage Skills Inheritance Institute, Jingzhou Ocean World Xiaomeisha Aquarium, King of Chu Chariot and Horse Pit Scenic Area, Jingzhou Ancient City Binyang Tower, Night Tour of the Moat

D4 Jingzhou Fantawild Oriental Heritage Theme Park

I set off from Fuzhou, Fujian. There is a direct bullet train from Fuzhou to Jingzhou, taking about 7 hours, costing over 300 RMB. Actually, it's about the same time as flying, but flying requires a transfer in Wuhan. If there is no direct high-speed train or bullet train, or if you are flying, I suggest arriving in Wuhan first and then transferring to Jingzhou. The high-speed train from Wuhan to Jingzhou takes just over an hour.

From Jingzhou, it takes about two hours to reach the Songzi Weishui Tourism Area, which can be called a pearl of Jingzhou tourism. If you are captivated by mountains and waters, and deeply attached to green hills and clear waters, you might as well visit Weishui. Many people who have been to Weishui say it is a very magical place, with both the elegance of Jiangnan's scenery and the grandeur of northern landscapes.

We stayed at the Weishui Auto Campground, which is quite famous. It is the first five-star self-driving sports campground in China. Coming here feels like blending into nature, living among the mountains and forests. The entire campground is built in the jungle under the dam, with forests, islands, and wetlands, offering diverse natural conditions. You can breathe fresh air deeply and return to the tranquility of nature.

The campground offers many unique accommodations. I stayed in a camphor wood cabin. The cabin is hidden in the jungle. How pleasant it is to wake up to the sounds of birds and insects. When you open the door, you can smell the fragrance of wood. The cabin is two stories: the upper floor is mainly a bedroom, while the lower floor is an entertainment and leisure area. There is a large living room and a special area for playing mahjong. Overall, it feels very warm and comfortable.

The campground also has star-gazing tents and white heron luxury tents. The type with a large terrace is also very popular. It is low-key yet luxurious, simple yet not ordinary.

You can also choose to stay in the lakeside 'Shuiyunjun - Yunshuiyao' wooden villa. There are two different styles: a luxurious and grand American style, and a romantic and elegant Bohemian style that girls love. I really like the decoration of this room; it's very fresh and unconventional, with bold color contrast and a feeling of freshness, nature, and romance everywhere.

The overall facilities of the campground are quite complete. You can also enjoy delicious fire pit barbecue here. The campground also offers many special activities, such as jungle adventure park, real-life CS, aerial Huarong Path, fishing, etc., which are very popular.

If you are suffocated by the fast-paced city life every day and want to escape the noise and glitz of the city, coming to Weishui to experience the unity of water and sky, and the peace and comfort, is the perfect choice.

Weishui Reservoir is a very famous artificial freshwater lake in Asia. From a distance, we could see the stone inscription 'Asia's First Dam.' Later, we learned that the Weishui Dam, with a total length of over 8,000 to nearly 9,000 meters, is the largest artificial earth dam in Asia. The weather was not good when we arrived; it was drizzling, giving a misty Jiangnan feel, with a hazy surface on the lake.

Taking a boat tour is the best way to visit Weishui National Forest Park. There are over 500 islands scattered around the lake. The central islands rise from the water, dividing the surface many times, making the shoreline winding and zigzagging with many inlets, forming a continuous scenic area.

There are islands in the lake and lakes within islands. Sitting on the boat, you are immersed in the lake and mountain scenery. As the saying goes, 'Mountains are handsome because of water, and water is lively because of mountains,' which fits perfectly here. Finally, I understand why everyone compares this place to 'Thousand Island Lake of Southern Chu.'

The 'Hundred Islands Gallery' is located among countless islands on the lake, as if traveling through a 'water maze' or entering a wonderful, elegant ink painting. Such a group of islands that combine a maze and beautiful scenery is rarely seen in rivers and lakes across the country, making it a unique feature of Weishui Lake Scenic Area.

A team of jet skis followed our sightseeing boat, seemingly breaking the tranquility. With exciting jet ski performances, riders performed difficult stunts on the water, sometimes splashing water onto the boat, causing everyone to scream. There are also many interesting water activities to choose from, such as jet skis, flyboarding, banana boats, sofa beds, etc. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, don't forget to personally experience the speed and passion; it's truly exhilarating.

Jingzhou is a historic city with many stories. There are numerous intangible cultural heritages on the land of Jingchu. We came to the Jingchu Intangible Cultural Heritage Skills Inheritance Institute to experience the extraordinary charm of these national intangible cultural heritages of Jingchu.

The architecture of the entire Inheritance Institute is also very distinctive, antique and elegant, combining classical aesthetics with modern design. Inside the institute, there are not only craft schools and entrepreneurship parks, but also ten traditional craft workshops. These twelve traditional craft workshops are the most worth visiting in the entire park. In the traditional workshops, you can also participate in hands-on experiences and feel the cultural skills that have been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years. Such as Chu embroidery techniques, Chu-style lacquerware decoration techniques, micro-carving techniques, grinding eagle kite techniques, etc.

The replica of the Tiger Seat Phoenix Frame Drum in the exhibition hall is exquisitely crafted. Historical records show that lacquerware techniques were already very mature during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, which was also the peak of China's 'lacquerware' craftsmanship.

Chu embroidery is the origin of China's four famous embroideries. Han embroidery originated from Chu embroidery and has a history of over 2,000 years. Here, you can see inheritors teaching students how to make Chu embroidery.

What left the deepest impression on me was the grinding eagle kite. The inheritor of kite making introduced the kites he made. When the grinding eagle kite is flown, its eyes can move, seemingly very 'spiritual,' and the entire kite's wings are detachable. Jingzhou grinding eagle kite is the ancestor of the modern sport kite: the pan-eagle kite. When flying, it doesn't need wind and can circle in the sky for a long time.

Jingzhou's 'grinding eagle' has a long history and fine craftsmanship. The kite-making process is also very complex: splitting and shaping nanmu bamboo, peeling, preheating bamboo strips with an alcohol lamp, bending them into shape, pasting, trimming, painting, and so on. Learning about Jingzhou's grinding eagle kite for the first time was very interesting.

Creating a pyrography work requires a calm mind, patience, and perseverance. Using a soldering iron as a pen and temperature as ink, one must master the rhythm and heat intensity, have the idea before the stroke, and complete the stroke in one go. The pyrography should have techniques like outlining, hooking, dotting, dyeing, rubbing, and line drawing, possessing the traditional charm of Chinese painting and the three-dimensionality of Western sketching. This ancient and traditional pyrography craft with Jingzhou characteristics is very admirable. The inheritor showed us his works: the Eight Immortals painted on gourds, every detail lifelike, truly impressive.

The largest indoor aquarium in Central China can be seen from a distance. Its unique architectural style also makes it a landmark building in Jingzhou. The aquarium consists of multiple halls including the Polar Hall, Aquarium Hall, Shark Hall, Underwater Tunnel, Ocean Theater, and Ocean Parent-Child Paradise. It is an ocean-themed park integrating the local culture of Jianghan Plain and Jingzhou. Its scale and grade are rare in the entire Central China region.

Xiaomeisha Aquarium is a large exhibition hall with ocean culture as its theme, integrating science education, entertainment, tourism, and leisure. It gathers various forms of marine life for viewing, such as sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, seals, beluga whales, penguins, sea lions, jellyfish, and various exotic creatures from the Amazon basin, vividly reproducing the colorful underwater world.

As soon as we entered the aquarium, we headed straight to the Ocean Theater, where there were spectacular and thrilling performances. Sea lions, dolphins, and huge beluga whales were very cute, and the audience cheered and applauded continuously. Friends could also take photos with them.

Here, you can also watch mermaid performances, take plenty of photos in the underwater tunnel, and enjoy many interesting interactive activities. If you come with children, this is definitely a good choice. The aquarium has also newly introduced over 5,000 marine fish and hundreds of marine animals, including polar penguins, walruses, Arctic wolves, etc., which were not seen before.

Open all year round: 09:30-18:00 (last entry at 17:30)

Ticket: 138 RMB (can be booked online in advance)

It is said that 'the north has the Terracotta Warriors of Qin Shi Huang, and the south has the Chariot and Horse Pits of the King of Chu.' The Chariot and Horse Pits of the King of Chu are the largest, highest-spec, best-preserved, and most relic-rich high-level royal mausoleum and chariot-horse pit site discovered in China to date. It is magnificent and rare in the world.

The Chariot and Horse Pit Exhibition Hall was built on the archaeological excavation site. As soon as you enter, you can see the words 'Unique in China, Number One in the World.' There are forty magnificent chariot pits covering an area of over 8,200 square meters, currently the largest scale of chariot and horse burial pits excavated.

Seeing the chariot and horse pits for the first time was still quite shocking. We came to No. 1 Chariot and Horse Pit, which is currently the longest chariot pit discovered in China. Through years of excavation by archaeologists, two-thirds of this large pit have been cleared. So far, 43 chariots and 164 horses have been unearthed, including 7 chariots with two horses, 33 chariots with four horses, and 3 chariots with six horses.

Through the glass, we could see the unearthed chariots and horses, some of which were relatively well-preserved, with some shapes and wheel outlines still clearly visible. These chariots include guide chariots, ceremonial chariots, spare chariots, etc. It is said that these horses were first poisoned to death and then buried. Considering that horses and chariots were very precious at that time, such a large number of burial objects indicates that the Chu state was at its peak.

Here, you can also see two small mounds, one is the King of Chu's mausoleum and the other is the Queen's mausoleum.

Many burial pits have also been discovered, divided into burial pits for the King of Chu's mausoleum and for the Queen's mausoleum. To the south of the King of Chu's mausoleum, 92 burial pits were found. To the north of the Queen's mausoleum, 35 burial pits were discovered through exploration. Thousands of artifacts have been unearthed here, many of which are jade objects.

We can see that around the King and Queen's mausoleums, there are still many archaeological excavation sites. Archaeologists continue to clean and excavate the area. Many unearthed artifacts are now stored in the Jingzhou Museum. Interested friends can also go and see them.

9:00 - 17:30

Ticket: 49 RMB (can be purchased online in advance)

Jingzhou Ancient City, also known as Jiangling City, has stood for thousands of years. The Jingzhou city wall has endured the baptism of war, experienced the vicissitudes of time, and has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Yet, the Jingchu spirit remains, and the wall still stands majestically by the Jingjiang River.

How could we not take a walk on the ancient city wall when we come to Jingzhou?

The city wall we see now was built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The city wall has eight gates and two gate towers. Jingzhou Ancient City is divided into three layers: the outer layer is the water city, the middle is the brick city, and the inner is the earth city. It is said that the ancient city wall of Jingzhou has always been easy to defend and difficult to attack, hence the saying 'Iron Jingzhou.' The ancient city wall of Jingzhou is the best-preserved prefectural city wall in China, known as the 'Perfect Jade of Jiangnan.'

You can climb up to the Binyang Tower on the city wall and enjoy the beautiful view of Jingzhou city from above. Binyang Tower, originally named 'Yinbin Tower,' commonly known as the East Gate Tower, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. The entire tower uses a large wooden frame structure, magnificent in scale and unique in shape, maintaining the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The three golden characters 'Binyang Tower' were inscribed by Zhao Puchu. Next to the horse ramp of Binyang Tower, wooden steps are specially built to climb up. As you ascend, the famous figures of the Three Kingdoms immediately come into view. Large bronze statues of Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Zhao Zilong, either seated or standing, are lifelike.

When night falls, the ancient city wall of Jingzhou has a different charm. You can take a cruise to tour the moat at night. The night scene of Jingzhou city is completely different from the daytime. The ancient city wall becomes more colorful and enchanting at night. Colorful lights illuminate the east gate city wall and tower, casting beautiful reflections on the moat. The ancient city at night sheds its daytime classical and solemn appearance, presenting an open and inclusive posture.

On the boat, you can watch the light show on the ancient city wall, telling the history of Jingzhou. The Jiulong Bridge is bustling with traffic, and the nine semicircular stone arches under the bridge blend perfectly with the flowing water under the lights, looking even more beautiful. The cruise finally docks at the pier on the opposite bank of the ancient city wall.

Jingzhou Fantawild is the largest and highest-grade historical and cultural theme park in Hubei.

This time we came to Jingzhou Fantawild just in time for its first anniversary celebration. The entire park is themed around Jingchu culture and Chinese history and culture. The overall experience was quite good, and it is very popular.

A highly recommended project, and also the park's flagship project, 'Fly with You' is a true naked-eye 4D experience. In 8 minutes, it takes you flying over the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, including many iconic scenic spots. It truly feels like you are there. Being afraid of heights, I was a bit scared; it was too realistic.

Flying over various urban landscapes and famous historical sites is quite震撼.

The park also has many small performances, such as street performances, acrobatics, and various traditional folk skills. The antique architecture, paired with melodious classical music, creates a scene of a bustling ancient marketplace.

There are also some large-scale performances in the park, the most unmissable being 'Chu Music' and 'Qu Yuan.'

The large-scale performance theater 'Chu Music' tells the legendary life of a Chu dancer, showcasing the colorful Chu music, dance, folk customs, architecture, and many other cultural features, truly reproducing the beauty of traditional Chinese culture. The entire performance lasts about 23 minutes, with stunning stage effects. Especially at the end, when the entire stage descends with chime bells arranged in various shapes, the whole performance immerses you in this wonderful cultural journey.

The performance 'Qu Yuan' seems to travel through a thousand years of history, back to the Jingchu era, witnessing the classic historical scenes of Qu Yuan from his prime to his exile, and his patriotic spirit of caring for the world and perseverance. The performance uses many advanced technologies to present more perfect stage effects, with many laser curtains and the actors' performances on stage creating quite an attractive effect.

The park also has some thrilling rides suitable for young people, such as pirate ships, roller coasters, rapids, etc., as well as some facilities specially designed for children. Spend a whole day at Jingzhou Fantawild and have a great time.

Opening hours: Weekdays 9:30-17:30, Holidays 9:00-18:00

The park uses a pass system, meaning one ticket for all. Tickets can be booked online in advance.

PS: Note that the seats for the Qu Yuan and Chu Music performances are not fixed. If you want to choose the best seats, it's recommended to queue up in advance before the show starts. Fantawild has its own mini-program where you can check the flow of people and waiting times for each attraction, which is quite user-friendly. You can also arrange your itinerary according to the waiting time for each attraction.

It is said that food is the first priority for people. How could we miss the special cuisine of Jingzhou when we come here?

What left a deep impression on me is Jingzhou's shark fish cake. As one of the eight famous dishes of Jingzhou, fish cake has a long history.

Songzi's five-spice braised pork belly is fatty but not greasy, and the taste is great. This dish goes very well with rice. When you come to Jingzhou, you must eat Weishui mandarin fish, which is a relatively precious freshwater edible fish with very tender flesh.

Honghu wild duck and Songzi chicken are also must-eats. Honghu braised wild duck has a history of over 200 years and is said to be a treasure from head to toe.

When you come to Jingzhou, these numerous local specialties will definitely satisfy your appetite.

We stayed at the Greenland Plush Hotel opposite Jingzhou Station. It only takes 5 minutes to walk from the hotel to Jingzhou Station. The hotel has a swimming pool and a gym. Overall, it is warm and comfortable. Recommended for friends coming to Jingzhou.

Travel Itinerary: 1. [At the Beginning] 2. Our Itinerary: 3. Transportation: 4. Songzi Weishui Tourism Area 5. Weishui Reservoir 6. Jingchu Intangible Cultural Heritage Skills Inheritance Institute 7. Jingzhou Ocean World Xiaomeisha Aquarium 8. King of Chu Chariot and Horse Pit 9. Jingzhou Ancient City Wall 10. Fantawild Oriental Heritage 11. Special Cuisine of Jingzhou 12. Jingzhou Accommodation Tourism Information Hotel Index Strategy Index Ticket Index Website Navigation Tourism Index Cruise Index Business Travel Index Franchise Cooperation Distribution Alliance Friendly Links Enterprise Gift Card Purchase Insurance Agency Agency Cooperation Hotel Joining Destination and Scenic Area Cooperation More Franchise Cooperation About Ctrip About Ctrip Ctrip Hot News Contact Us Join Us User Agreement Privacy Policy Security Center Ctrip Content Center Intellectual Property Trip.com Group Algorithm Disclosure