Hengdian World Studios is located in Hengdian Town, Dongyang City, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province. It is a large comprehensive tourist area integrating film and television shooting, sightseeing, leisure vacations, and film and television education, and is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. As one of the largest film and television shooting bases in the world, it features the philosophy of "film and television as the surface, tourism as the substance, and culture as the soul." It has numerous replica ancient architectural complexes and modern scenes, covering architectural styles from different historical periods including the Qin and Han, Tang and Song, Ming and Qing, and Republican eras. The scenic area covers a total area of 50 square kilometers, with cumulative investment exceeding 30 billion yuan. It has built 13 film and television shooting bases spanning thousands of years of historical time, including Qinwang Palace, Ming and Qing Palace Gardens, Along the River During the Qingming Festival, and Guangzhou Street · Hong Kong Street, as well as 2 super-large modern studios. The total area of various replica ancient buildings exceeds 1.5 million square meters, and it has received more than 3,000 film and television crews, earning it the reputation of "China's Hollywood."
Historical Culture
Although the historical and cultural context of Hengdian World Studios relies on replica film and television scenes, it deeply integrates the cultural essence of various historical periods in China. Since the completion of the Guangzhou Street scenic area in 1996 for the filming of the movie The Opium War, Hengdian has embarked on a journey of promoting cultural dissemination through film and television. The architecture, costumes, folk customs, and other details of each scenic area refer extensively to a large number of historical documents and archaeological materials, striving to restore the cultural features of different eras.
For example, Ming and Qing Palace Gardens is modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing and replicates major buildings such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Palace of Heavenly Purity at a 1:1 ratio. At the same time, it incorporates Jiangnan garden characteristics, showcasing both the grandeur of Ming and Qing imperial architecture and the integration of northern and southern architectural cultures. The Along the River During the Qingming Festival scenic area is based on the painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival by Northern Song painter Zhang Zeduan, restoring the market atmosphere on both sides of the Bian River, including scenes such as the Rainbow Bridge, docks, and shops. It vividly recreates the prosperous scene of the Northern Song capital, allowing tourists to intuitively experience Song dynasty civic culture and commercial prosperity. This method of presenting historical culture through film and television scenes brings history and culture from books into real-life settings, making it an important window for the public to understand traditional Chinese culture.
Main Attractions
Ming and Qing Palace Gardens
Ming and Qing Palace Gardens is one of the largest scenic areas in Hengdian World Studios, covering an area of 1,500 mu, with a building area of 160,000 square meters. The scenic area uses the Forbidden City in Beijing as a template and replicates 23 main palaces, including the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, as well as buildings such as the Imperial Garden and the Gate of Divine Prowess. It also adds Jiangnan-style garden landscapes. This is the filming location for many palace dramas such as Empresses in the Palace and Story of Yanxi Palace. Tourists can watch court etiquette performances, experience ancient costume photography, and participate in interactive projects such as "Hundred Officials Paying Tribute," experiencing the majesty and refinement of Ming and Qing imperial culture.
Qinwang Palace
Qinwang Palace scenic area covers an area of 600 mu, with a building area of 110,000 square meters. It was built for the filming of the movie The Emperor's Shadow and mainly features the architectural style of the Qin and Han periods. The core building of the scenic area, Xianyang Palace, is 44.8 meters high, 130 meters long, and 60 meters wide. It is magnificent, and scenes such as the "99 Steps" and "Hall of Unity of the Four Seas" are highly representative. Films and television works such as Hero and A Step into the Past were filmed here. Tourists can experience the "Dragon Emperor's Surprise" 4D ride project and feel the historical storms of the Qin and Han periods. The "Qin and Han Wedding" performance in the scenic area also vividly restores ancient etiquette culture.
Along the River During the Qingming Festival
The Along the River During the Qingming Festival scenic area covers an area of 600 mu and was restored based on the Northern Song painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. It includes Song dynasty architectural landscapes such as the Bian River, Rainbow Bridge, Fan Tower, and Xiangguo Temple. Among them, the Rainbow Bridge has a span of 16 meters and a height of 5 meters. It was built entirely according to the structure in the ancient painting and is the landmark building of the scenic area. The scenic area restores scenes of Song dynasty market life, with shops, teahouses, workshops, and more. Tourists can watch the live performance "A Dream of Bianliang," experience projects such as Song dynasty costume rental and ancient papermaking, and feel the bustling market culture of the Northern Song capital. Song-themed film and television dramas such as Palace of Devotion and The Story of Ming Lan were filmed here.
Guangzhou Street · Hong Kong Street
The Guangzhou Street · Hong Kong Street scenic area covers an area of 600 mu and is divided into two parts: Guangzhou Street and Hong Kong Street, completed in 1996 and 1998 respectively. It was built for filming film and television dramas such as The Opium War and Yongzheng Dynasty. Guangzhou Street restores the appearance of Guangzhou in the late 19th century, including scenes such as the Thirteen Factories, the Canton Customs, and docks. Hong Kong Street replicates 19th-century Hong Kong street scenes such as Victoria Harbour and Queen's Road, with British-style buildings and Chinese-style shops complementing each other. The live performance "Raging Sea and Fighting Wind" in the scenic area recreates the naval battle scenes during the Opium War. Tourists can ride rickshaws and experience the living atmosphere of the Republican period. This is also the filming location for spy dramas such as Lurk and The Disguiser.
Dream Valley
Dream Valley is a large nighttime theme park in Hengdian World Studios, covering an area of 430 mu. It features "disaster-style shock" and "vertical and horizontal gaming" and integrates amusement facilities, performance shows, and leisure experiences. The scenic area includes the large live performance "Dream Tai Chi," which uses a volcanic eruption as the background and combines lighting and special effects to show the collision between nature and humanity. The "Storm and Flash Flood" performance recreates the spectacular scene of a flash flood and also incorporates Nuo dance blessing culture. In addition, there are more than 20 amusement facilities such as a Ferris wheel and pirate ship, suitable for families and young tourists. The nighttime light show also adds a dreamy atmosphere to the scenic area.
Food
Hengdian Pulled Noodles
Hengdian pulled noodles are a highly distinctive local snack, famous because film crew members often patronize them. The noodles are made by hand from high-gluten flour and are repeatedly kneaded and stretched, giving them a chewy and elastic texture. The soup base is made by slowly stewing pork bones or beef bones for more than 4 hours, paired with ingredients such as greens, tomatoes, and eggs. Diners can choose clear soup or braised flavors according to taste. At the "Old Hengdian Noodle Shop" on the old street of Hengdian Town, the average daily sales exceed 500 bowls, with each bowl priced at 15-25 yuan. It is a must-try food for tourists experiencing local flavors.
Dongyang Wo Noodles
Dongyang Wo Noodles is a traditional noodle dish in the Dongyang area of Jinhua and is available in restaurants throughout Hengdian. It is mainly made with noodles, added with various ingredients such as eggs, mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, sliced meat, and shrimp, and slowly cooked in broth until the soup becomes thick. The noodles absorb the umami flavor of various ingredients, giving it a rich taste. A bowl of Wo Noodles is generous in portion, suitable for 2-3 people to share, and priced at about 30-40 yuan. Because of its rich ingredients and delicious taste, it has become a common working meal for film crews during shooting breaks and is also deeply loved by tourists.
Nanma Meat Pie
Nanma Meat Pie originates from Nanma Town in Dongyang and can be seen everywhere on the streets of Hengdian. It uses flour as the skin, wraps pork filling (or beef filling), adds seasonings such as chopped scallions and ginger, rolls it into a thin pancake, and pan-fries it until both sides are golden brown. The outer skin is crispy, and the filling is tender and juicy. A meat pie with a diameter of about 15 centimeters costs 5-8 yuan each. It can be eaten as a staple food or as a snack and is a convenient food loved by local residents and tourists.
Surrounding Cuisine
There are many specialty restaurants in the center of Hengdian Town and surrounding villages, offering flavors from various parts of Zhejiang. For example, the local chicken soup at the "Hengdian Old Stove" restaurant uses locally free-range native chickens and is slowly stewed in a traditional stove for 2 hours. The soup is clear and the meat is tender, priced at 88 yuan per serving. The preserved vegetable braised pork at "Jiangnan Restaurant" is steamed with Shaoxing preserved vegetables and pork belly. It is savory and goes well with rice, priced at 45 yuan per serving. In addition, in Huxi Town, 5 kilometers away from Hengdian World Studios, tourists can taste authentic "Huxi Tofu Skin," made from soybean milk film. It can be served cold or cooked in soup, has a delicate texture, and is a famous local specialty product.
Tickets：
Single scenic area tickets start at 49 yuan, and multi-scenic area combo tickets start at 95 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "Hengdian World Studios" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours：
Opening hours vary slightly among attractions. The regular opening hours are 8:30-17:30 (winter, November-February, 8:30-17:00); Dream Valley is a nighttime scenic area, open from 16:00-21:00 (extended to 22:00 in summer, July-August).
The performance times of shows in the scenic area are adjusted according to the seasons. For example, "Hundred Officials Paying Tribute" at Ming and Qing Palace Gardens is held at 10:00 and 14:00 daily; "Dragon Emperor's Surprise" at Qinwang Palace is held once every hour; at Dream Valley, "Dream Tai Chi" starts at 20:00, and "Storm and Flash Flood" starts at 19:00. Specific program times can be found on the scenic area's official website or on-site announcements. During holidays, some attractions extend opening hours to 18:00.
Recommended Route：
Recommended three-day tour route: On the first day, visit Ming and Qing Palace Gardens in the morning (3 hours), watch palace performances, and experience ancient costume photography; in the afternoon, go to Along the River During the Qingming Festival (2.5 hours), experience Northern Song market culture, and enjoy the "A Dream of Bianliang" performance; in the evening and at night, visit Dream Valley (5 hours), experience amusement facilities, and watch the "Storm and Flash Flood" and "Dream Tai Chi" performances. On the second day, visit Qinwang Palace in the morning (2.5 hours) and experience the "Dragon Emperor's Surprise" project; in the afternoon, visit Guangzhou Street · Hong Kong Street (2 hours), watch the "Raging Sea and Fighting Wind" performance, and experience Republican-era style. On the third day, visit Ming and Qing Residential Buildings Expo City in the morning (2 hours) and appreciate Jiangnan residential architecture; in the afternoon, go to Huaxia Culture Park (1.5 hours) to learn about the development of Chinese culture. This route covers the main attractions, with a balanced itinerary, suitable for comprehensively experiencing Hengdian's film and television and cultural characteristics.
Transportation：
Plane: The nearest airport to Hengdian is Yiwu Airport, about 40 kilometers away. There are direct buses from the airport to Hengdian, with a journey of 1 hour and a fare of 30 yuan; Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport is 160 kilometers from Hengdian. Airport buses go directly to Hengdian, with a journey of 2.5 hours and a fare of 85 yuan.
Train/High-speed rail: The nearest high-speed rail station is Yiwu Station, 36 kilometers away. From Yiwu Station, you can take bus No. 805 to Yiwu Passenger Transport Center, then transfer to a bus to Hengdian. The whole journey is about 1.5 hours, and the fare is 25 yuan. In addition, Dongyang Station, 18 kilometers from Hengdian, has shuttle buses directly there every 30 minutes. The journey is 40 minutes, and the fare is 10 yuan.
Self-driving: From Hangzhou, take the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, then transfer to the Yongjin Expressway, and exit at Hengdian. The whole journey is about 160 kilometers, taking 2 hours; from Shanghai, take the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway and Yongjin Expressway to Hengdian. The whole journey is about 380 kilometers, taking 4.5 hours; there are free parking lots between attractions in the scenic area, with a total of 5,000 parking spaces.
Transportation within the scenic area: The distance between attractions in Hengdian World Studios is 2-5 kilometers. You can take the free shuttle bus in the scenic area, which runs every 30 minutes and covers major attractions and hotels; you can also rent shared bicycles for 10 yuan per hour, convenient for short trips.
Must-Visit Attractions：
Ming and Qing Palace Gardens: A super-large scenic area of 1,500 mu, with a 1:1 replica of the core buildings of the Forbidden City. It is the filming location for hit dramas such as Empresses in the Palace, with more than 3 court performances daily. It allows for an in-depth experience of imperial culture and is a must-visit place for understanding the historical style of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Qinwang Palace: A 600-mu Qin and Han style scenic area. The 44.8-meter-high Xianyang Palace is magnificent. The "Dragon Emperor's Surprise" 4D project brings an immersive experience. Blockbusters such as Hero were filmed here, showcasing the majestic spirit of the Qin and Han periods.
Dream Valley: A 430-mu nighttime theme park. The two major live performances "Storm and Flash Flood" and "Dream Tai Chi" combine special effects and cultural connotations. More than 20 amusement facilities are suitable for visitors of all ages. It is the core attraction for night tours in Hengdian.
Along the River During the Qingming Festival: A 600-mu scenic area restores the appearance of the Northern Song capital. The 16-meter-long Rainbow Bridge is a classic. The "A Dream of Bianliang" performance recreates the prosperity of the Song dynasty, allowing tourists to intuitively experience the market life in Along the River During the Qingming Festival.
Travel Suggestions：
It is recommended to spend 3 days to fully visit the main attractions and watch the core performances, avoiding an overly rushed itinerary.
Check the performance times of each attraction on the scenic area's official website in advance and arrange your itinerary reasonably. For example, for "Dream Tai Chi," you need to enter 30 minutes early to get a seat; popular performances are often packed.
Experience ancient costume rental services in the scenic area. There are rental points in scenic areas such as Ming and Qing Palace Gardens and Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Ancient costume rental is 50-200 yuan per day (including makeup), making photos more atmospheric.
Choose to stay in hotels in the center of Hengdian Town or around the scenic area, such as "Hengdian Guest House" and "International Trade Building," which are 1-3 kilometers from various attractions and provide breakfast and scenic area shuttle services.
In summer, it is recommended to bring rain gear when visiting Dream Valley, as the "Storm and Flash Flood" performance area may splash water; in winter, pay attention to keeping warm, as the temperature in the scenic area is lower at night.
Notes：
Drone aerial photography is prohibited in the scenic area. If shooting is needed, you must apply to the scenic area management office in advance. Unauthorized aerial photography will be discouraged.
When encountering film crews shooting, follow the guidance of on-site staff. Do not enter the shooting area at will, and do not use flash photography, so as not to affect filming progress.
Each attraction is relatively large. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes. The single-day walking distance is about 8-10 kilometers; in summer, pay attention to sun protection and bring a sun hat and sunscreen.
Prices of goods in the scenic area are relatively high. You can buy drinking water, snacks, and other items in Hengdian Town, where prices are 30%-50% cheaper than in the scenic area.
During holidays (such as May Day and National Day), there are many tourists. It is recommended to buy tickets 1-2 days in advance and enter at off-peak times (such as entering right when gates open at 8:30) to avoid queuing.
Some performance venues are outdoor or semi-outdoor. In case of rain, they may be adjusted or canceled. It is recommended to check the weather forecast before traveling and pay attention to real-time announcements in the scenic area.