Sights in Hengdian

The Qin Palace Scenic Area was built for director Chen Kaige to film the historical epic "The Emperor and the Assassin." It is also the birthplace of blockbusters such as "Hero" and "The Forbidden Kingdom." Its prototype is the Xianyang Palace, the most important palace of the Qin Dynasty.

The entire palace layout adheres to a strict central axis of symmetry, with the ancestral temple on the left, the altar on the right, and the court in front and the bedrooms in the back. From the moment one enters the palace through the first gate, one is reminded of the descriptions in the poem "Fu on Afang Palace": "Every five steps a building, every ten steps a pavilion; winding corridors, high eaves; each embracing the terrain, each vying for attention." Highlights include the double-decked corridor of the "Central Palace Gate," the 99 steps leading to the main hall, and the "Four Seas Returning to One Hall."

The Central Palace Gate has three mechanical doors, making the entire palace impregnable. Climbing the 99 steps, symbolizing the "Nine Nines Returning to One," leads to the "Four Seas Returning to One Hall," where the emperor met with his ministers. Inside, you'll find not only the throne but also a variety of realistic bronze artifacts. Finally, don't forget to stroll through "Han Street," which showcases the street life of the Qin and Han dynasties.

The Ming and Qing Palaces, currently the largest film and television studio at Hengdian World Studios, are a 1:1 replica of the Forbidden City. They feature four architectural series: palaces, royal gardens, royal government offices, and hutong dwellings. They faithfully recreate the official residences, street shops, and palaces of Beijing during various historical periods. Featuring numerous historical landmarks such as Chessboard Street, Chengtianmen Square, Thousand-Step Corridor, Wenwu Terrace, Jinshui River, and Yudai Bridge, the site boasts resplendent imperial palaces, naturally formed gardens and lakes, magnificent dragon and phoenix eaves, and the imposing Imperial Palace Square. It is a prime destination for visitors to explore the inner palaces, discover historical sites, and appreciate the millennium-old capital.

The Qingming Riverside Scenery is inspired by the masterpiece "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by the renowned Northern Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan. It is broadly divided into three main scenes: the spring scenery outside Bianjing, the Bian River, and the city's streets.

Stepping onto the Rainbow Bridge, the most majestic bridge over the Bian River, one can take in the panoramic views of both banks. "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" depicts a magnificent scene unfolding along the Bian River, centered around the Rainbow Bridge. The winding Bian River, its clear, shimmering waters, recreates the scene of canal transportation along the Bian River in the Northern Song Dynasty's capital a thousand years ago. Willow trees shade the riverbanks. Here, we can see not only Bao Gong's Kaifeng Mansion, but also Gao Qiu's residence, where Song Jiang was forced to join Liangshan in the novel "Water Margin," and Liangshan Marsh, the setting of the story. Here, we can experience both bustling urban life and the whitewashed, gray-tiled mansions of the wealthy. Here, we can find the magnificent Fanlou, a representative example of the Bianjing area, as well as waterwheels and thatched cottages, which retain a rustic charm.

The Guangzhou Street area was built to accommodate director Xie Jin's filming of the historical epic "The Opium War" and is the birthplace of Hengdian Film and Television City. Later, Hong Kong Street was expanded, creating a network of ancient roads and the Pearl River running through the city. The two streets meet in Hengdian.

Guangzhou Street vividly recreates the urban life of Guangzhou before and after the Opium War, offering a glimpse into the urban society of Guangzhou during the Qing Dynasty. Visitors can admire the 19th-century streetscape of Guangzhou in southern Guangdong, artificial lakes representing the Pearl River and Guangzhou's inner rivers, and recreations of the Thirteen Barbarians Pavilion and Tianzi Wharf.

Hong Kong Street features numerous street scenes from 19th-century Hong Kong's central district, including Queen's Road, Governor's House, Victoria Barracks, HSBC Bank, the Shanghai Residence, and Wo Hon Garden. Over 30 European-style buildings, emblematic of British colonial rule, formed "Victoria City," Hong Kong's political, economic, and cultural center at the time. Many newlyweds were drawn here for photoshoots.

The Ming and Qing Folk Houses Expo City is divided into two major landscape systems: "Peach Blossom Spring" and "Qinhuai River".

The "Peach Blossom Spring" landscape system features restored and reconstructed ancient dwellings from Ming and Qing dynasties relocated from various locations across Jiangnan. The whitewashed walls and black tiles, brick and stone carvings, and bracket-shaped zither workshops are the fruit of the meticulous efforts of countless master craftsmen. The theaters, ancestral halls, mansions, and Tunxi Old Street offer a folk painting of millennia of history and culture. Over a dozen exhibition halls are also located here, including the Dongyang Woodcarving Museum and the Xu Family Boutique Museum.

The Qinhuai River scenic system, modeled after Nanjing's "Ten Miles of Qinhuai River" during the Ming and Qing dynasties, recreates the prosperous ancient capital centered on the Confucius Temple. Reconstructions focus on buildings such as the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall, the Bayanfang, and the Taoye Ferry. A miniature replica of the New Yuanmingyuan exhibition hall, the unique Fujian Tulou, and a high-tech 4D motion cinema are further highlights. The scenic area also features Chinese folk art, film and television clips, and folk performances for visitors to enjoy and participate in.

The Chinese Culture Park consists of 10 scenic areas, including the gatehouse, cultural square, historical corridor, four major Buddhist mountains, Yule Garden, Pagoda Forest Guanyin Temple, botanical garden, Three Religions Pagoda, Golden Street, and Yaotai Scenic Spot. It showcases the essence of Chinese culture, including Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, couplets, carvings, corridors, paintings, archways, towers, stones, water, and fish.

The History Gallery features stone tablets depicting Chinese surnames and cultural heritage, as well as portraits of historical and cultural figures from various dynasties. The lush green bamboo clumps of Yule Garden are particularly pleasing to the eye and enchanting to behold. The Three Religions Pagoda, symbolizing the unity of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, stands majestically amidst the picturesque Huaxia Cultural Park.

A must-see is the Yaotai, a spectacular recreation of a corner of the Old Summer Palace. It blends the grandeur and elegance of northern and southern gardens. Using the clear waters of Fuhai Lake, it creates a breathtaking spectacle of "heaven and earth reflecting each other." Other scenic spots within the garden include Fanghu Scenic Spot, Flower Harbor Viewing Fish, and Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.

Pingyan Caves is a sacred site for Taoist practice in Zhejiang Province, known as the "First Cave Heaven in Jiangnan." Along its steep cliffs lie Taoist shrines and temples, including the Temple of the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, Wong Tai Sin, and the Eight Immortals. The scenic area's main features are its sheer cliffs, secluded caves, crimson foliage, and suspended structures. The typical Danxia landform, encompassing steep Pingyan rocks, bizarre caves, and dense forests, is complemented by plank roads, pavilions, Tianmen Gate, caves, and cable cars, creating a breathtaking and naturally beautiful landscape.

The scenic area is renowned for its bizarre peaks, unique caves, and grotesque rocks. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the southeast face of the peak appears to be cut like a knife, while the summit is surprisingly flat and continuous, appearing from afar like an insurmountable natural barrier. Even more bizarre is the unfathomable "Jinsi Stream" nestled within the mountain. Years of wind and rain have eroded the rocks, revealing a myriad of shapes. Embedded in caves of varying sizes are numerous Buddhist statues, evoking endless reverie in visitors. The cascading peaks, deep ravines, secluded springs, and dense forests are a true marvel of nature's uncanny craftsmanship.

The Hengdian National Defense Science and Technology Park showcases weapons and equipment from various periods of Chinese military history, as well as the history of my country's aerospace industry, using both actual weapons and models. The park is divided into two main sections: the exhibition area and the military training area. The exhibition area houses a parade hall, the Army Heavy Weapons and Equipment Hall, the Navy, Army, and Air Force Equipment Hall, the Space Exploration Hall, the Modern Warfare Hall, the Civil Air Defense Hall, and the space launch site.

Dazhi Temple, originally built during the Southern Liang Dynasty (502-557 AD), boasts a history of over 1,500 years. Following restoration, it now houses the tallest indoor statue of Sakyamuni in China. It evokes a tranquil and tranquil Buddhist paradise amidst verdant branches. The small courtyard houses the Heavenly King Hall, the Main Hall, the Medicine Buddha Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, the Arhat Hall, the Jade Buddha Hall, and the Bell and Drum Tower.

The main hall, the Mahavira Hall, houses a statue of Sakyamuni, gilded and majestic, the largest Buddha statue in China. Manjusri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas flanked the statue on either side, while the Twenty-Four Devas stood to the east and west. Avalokitesvara and his 156 incarnations were enshrined in the rear hall. The Five Hundred Arhats, exquisitely carved in Dongyang wood relief, are also depicted.