Atlas of China
Hengdian World Studios 横店影视城Héngdiàn Yǐngshìchéng
A working film backlot of palaces and old streets, run as a theme park
- Best time
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Days to budget
- 1½ days
- Stay in
- Jinhua
- Region
- Zhejiang
- Type
- City
- Listed as
- 5A scenic area
Why go to Hengdian World Studios
Hengdian is a commercial film-studio complex in Dongyang, where full-size replica palaces and old streets are used for Chinese films and television dramas and opened to paying visitors. The 5A area includes Guangzhou and Hong Kong Streets, the Palace of the Qin King, the Song-dynasty city of Along the River During the Qingming Festival, a Ming and Qing palace complex modelled on the Forbidden City, and the Dream Valley theme park. It is more a day of staged spectacle than of heritage, with live shows, rides and sometimes a crew shooting a scene.
The story
The first set, a 19th-century Guangzhou street, was built in 1996 for the film The Opium War by the local Hengdian Group. Others followed on demand from productions, and the studio grew from farmland into one of China's largest film backlots. Everything you see is a modern replica, built to be filmed rather than as a historic site.
What to see at Hengdian World Studios
- Palace of the Qin King 秦王宫: A giant throne-hall complex built for a 1990s film and added to by later productions; the grand hall is the best-photographed set.
- Guangzhou and Hong Kong Streets 广州街·香港街: Replica street scenes of 19th- and early 20th-century southern China, the original sets of the studio.
- Qingming Shanghe Tu Park 清明上河图景区: A Song-dynasty riverside city after the famous scroll painting, with canal boats, market streets and live performances.
- Ming and Qing Palaces 明清宫苑: A large replica of Beijing's Forbidden City halls, used for imperial court dramas.
- Dream Valley 梦幻谷: A theme park with rides, light shows and performances.
How to visit Hengdian World Studios
Pick two or three parks rather than trying them all, grouping the Qin Palace and the Song-city park for a first day and the Ming and Qing Palaces for a second. Start early before the tour groups and plan the stage shows around them. A half-day is enough for one park. Other sets in the town, such as the Dream Bund and the Ming and Qing Residences Expo City, are separate attractions.
How to get to Hengdian World Studios
Hengdian station on the Hangzhou–Wenzhou high-speed railway (opened 2024) is about 6 km from the centre of Hengdian town; the Jinhua–Yiwu–Dongyang rail transit line and buses or taxis run from the station to the town and the parks. Yiwu is one stop away on the high-speed line.
Where to stay
Stay in Hengdian town itself, which is built around the studios and has plenty of hotels close to the park gates. Yiwu, one stop away by high-speed rail, is the alternative if you arrive by train.
What to eat
- Dongyang ham 东阳火腿: A salty, dry-cured ham of Dongyang, eaten sliced or in soups.
- Jinhua shaobing 金华酥饼: A flaky, layered baked pastry filled with pork or vegetables, a Jinhua speciality.
- Dongyang pork noodles 东阳肉面: A local bowl of noodles with braised pork, found in Hengdian and Dongyang.
Tips for visiting Hengdian World Studios
- Buy tickets in advance online and bring your passport, since entry is checked against ID; each park is ticketed separately, and some shows cost extra.
- The parks sit several kilometres apart, so use taxis or the park shuttles between them rather than planning to walk.
- Weekends, school holidays and public holidays are very crowded, and a set may be closed for filming, so check which areas are open when you go.
Nearby
- West Lake 西湖 120 km
The lake that taught China what a perfect landscape should look like - Lingyin Temple & Feilai Feng 灵隐寺 120 km
A working Chan monastery beside a hillside of 1,000-year-old rock carvings
Also within 30 km: Ming and Qing Residences Expo City, Hengdian 明清民居博览城 (under 10 km), Huayuan Village, Dongyang 花园村 (under 10 km), Mashangqiao Flower Hall, Dongyang 马上桥花厅 (under 10 km), Lu Family Residences, Dongyang 卢宅 (10 km), China Woodcarving Culture Expo City, Dongyang 中国木雕文化博览城 (20 km), Baitan Residences, Dongyang 白坦民宅 (20 km).
On the map
Open Hengdian World Studios on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.
Open Hengdian World Studios on the map