The Three Kingdoms and Water Margin City is located in Binhu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. It is a large-scale film and television shooting base built by China Central Television for filming the TV series Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin. It is now a national 5A-level tourist attraction. The scenic area is famous for its grand scale, realistic ancient buildings, and profound historical and cultural connotations. It skillfully integrates the majestic momentum of the Three Kingdoms period with the urban customs of the Song Dynasty, becoming an important window to display the scenes of Chinese classical masterpieces. The Three Kingdoms City covers an area of about 35 hectares, and the Water Margin City covers an area of about 58 hectares. The two cities are adjacent to each other. The internal buildings are carefully constructed according to the descriptions of the original works and historical records, which not only meet the needs of film and television shooting but also provide tourists with an immersive historical and cultural experience. Wandering in it, it is like traveling through time and space, allowing you to intuitively feel the iron horses of the Three Kingdoms and the heroic spirit of the Water Margin.
Historical Culture
The historical and cultural background of the Three Kingdoms City is based on the historical events from the late Eastern Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period and the classical masterpiece Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The buildings and scenes in the scenic area reproduce the era of heroes competing for hegemony and emerging heroes, such as the navy camp of the Wu Kingdom and Cao Cao's parade platform, which are closely related to the military and political culture of the Three Kingdoms period. As one of the four great classical Chinese novels, Romance of the Three Kingdoms has a profound influence. Through real-scene buildings and performing activities, the Three Kingdoms City visualizes the classic stories in the book, such as "Burning Red Cliffs" and "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats", allowing tourists to more intuitively understand that magnificent period of history and the cultural spirits of strategy, loyalty, and righteousness contained in it.
The Water Margin City takes the social features of the Northern Song Dynasty and Water Margin as its cultural core. The Northern Song Dynasty was a period of relatively developed commodity economy in Chinese history, with a prosperous urban culture. Scenes such as Qingming Riverside Street and Zishi Street in the Water Margin City vividly restore the urban layout, commercial activities, and folk customs of that time. The locations of many classic plots in Water Margin, such as "Wu Song Fights the Tiger" and "Lu Zhishen Pulls Up a Willows", are all presented in the scenic area. These scenes not only reproduce the content of the novel but also reflect the social contradictions of the Northern Song Dynasty, the spirit of folk chivalry, and other cultural connotations, allowing tourists to feel the historical and cultural atmosphere of the Song Dynasty during their visit.
Main Attractions
Three Kingdoms City · Wu King's Palace
Wu King's Palace is one of the core buildings of the Three Kingdoms City, with a magnificent momentum. It covers an area of about 11,000 square meters and is mainly composed of the palace gate, main hall, side halls, etc. The palace gate is tall and majestic, with bright red doors and golden door nails, showing royal majesty. The main hall is decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, with simple furnishings, reproducing the luxurious scene of the Wu Kingdom's court during the Three Kingdoms period. It was the filming location for plots such as "Liu Bei Marries the Princess" in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The square in front of the hall is spacious and open, and large-scale ancient costume performances are often held here, allowing tourists to experience the court culture of the Three Kingdoms up close.
Three Kingdoms City · Ancient Battlefield of Red Cliffs
The Ancient Battlefield of Red Cliffs is located in the lakeside area of the Three Kingdoms City, built according to the scene of the "Battle of Red Cliffs". There are antique warships, camps, and other facilities here, with a lake area of about 65,000 square meters. Tourists can experience by boat, as if they were in that thrilling battle with flames soaring into the sky. The scenic area also regularly stages the real-scene performance "Burning Red Cliffs", which uses modern sound, light, and electricity technologies to reproduce the fierce scenes of the battle, allowing tourists to deeply feel the cruelty and grandeur of the wars during the Three Kingdoms period.
Water Margin City · Qingming Riverside Street
Qingming Riverside Street is built based on the painting Along the River During Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan, a painter of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is about 300 meters long, with shops lined on both sides of the street, including restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops, cloth stores, etc. The architectural style is antique, reproducing the prosperity of the urban life in Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty. The staff on the street wear Song Dynasty costumes and engage in antique activities such as blacksmithing, weaving, and selling snacks. Tourists can taste Song Dynasty-style snacks here, buy antique handicrafts, and experience the urban life of the Song Dynasty immersively.
Water Margin City · Zishi Street
Zishi Street is an important street in the Water Margin City that shows urban customs and is also the place where many classic stories in Water Margin take place. It is about 200 meters long. There are buildings such as the county government office of Yanggu County after "Wu Song Fights the Tiger", the home of Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian, and Wang Po's Teahouse on the street. These buildings are compactly arranged and full of life. When tourists walk here, they seem to see scenes such as Wu Song angrily killing Ximen Qing and Wu Dalang selling sesame cakes, deeply feeling the charm of the Water Margin stories.
Water Margin City · Liangshan Assembly Hall
Liangshan Assembly Hall is one of the landmark buildings of the Water Margin City, where the heroes of Liangshan gather to discuss affairs. The hall is equipped with seats for 108 heroes such as Chao Gai and Song Jiang, with weapons and other items placed, solemn and respectful, reproducing the heroic spirit of the Liangshan heroes who "enforce justice on behalf of heaven". The architectural style of the assembly hall is rough and bold, reflecting the unrestrained character of the Liangshan heroes. It is also the filming location for the gathering scenes of Liangshan heroes in many films and TV dramas, allowing tourists to feel the unity and heroism of the Liangshan heroes.
Cuisine
Wuxi Braised Pork Ribs
Wuxi braised pork ribs are a famous local traditional dish, which can be found everywhere around the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin City and in Wuxi City. This dish uses pork ribs, with seasonings such as soy sauce, white sugar, and cooking wine, and is simmered for a long time. It has a bright red color, tender meat, a moderate salty and sweet taste, and a rich aroma. With a long history and unique production process, it is one of the must-try foods for tourists to taste Wuxi flavor.
Sanfeng Bridge Pork Bones
Sanfeng Bridge pork bones are homologous to Wuxi braised pork ribs, named after their origin in Sanfeng Bridge, Wuxi. They can also be tasted in restaurants around the scenic area. It uses high-quality pork bones, cooked through multiple processes, with tender meat, rich bone marrow, and a mellow taste, having both the salty aroma of soy sauce and the sweetness of white sugar, with an excellent taste. It is one of the representatives of Wuxi cuisine and is deeply loved by tourists.
Clear Water Fried Gluten
Clear water fried gluten is a specialty snack of Wuxi, available in restaurants and food stalls in the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin City. It is made from flour produced locally in Wuxi, fried to a round shape, golden color, and soft and elastic texture. When eaten, it can be boiled in soup or stir-fried with minced meat and vegetables, with a delicious, light, and refreshing taste, reflecting the delicate and light characteristics of Wuxi cuisine.
Crab Roe Soup Dumplings
Crab roe soup dumplings are a traditional famous snack in Jiangsu Province, commonly found in food streets around the scenic area. They use fresh crab roe, crab meat, and pork filling, wrapped in paper-thin dough. After steaming, they are rich in soup and delicious in taste. When eating, you need to bite through the dough first, suck the soup, and then taste the filling, with a fresh and mellow taste. It is an excellent choice to taste the flavor of crabs in autumn.
Tickets
Ticket price: 150 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "无锡影视基地" on WeChat to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin City will be adjusted according to the season. From March 1 to October 31 every year, the opening hours are 7:30-17:30; from November 1 to February 28 (or 29) of the next year, the opening hours are 8:00-17:00. The times of some performances in the scenic area will be arranged according to the opening hours. It is recommended that tourists check the daily activity schedule in advance to better plan their visit.
Tour Routes
Tourists can first visit the Three Kingdoms City, enter from the main gate of the Three Kingdoms City, first visit the Wu King's Palace to feel the royal majesty, then go to the Ancient Battlefield of Red Cliffs to watch the real-scene performance "Burning Red Cliffs", and then visit attractions such as the Navy Camp and the Parade Platform to experience the military culture of the Three Kingdoms, with a visiting time of about 3-4 hours. Then go to the adjacent Water Margin City, first stroll along Qingming Riverside Street to experience the urban customs of the Song Dynasty, then go to Zishi Street to feel the scenes of the Water Margin stories, and finally visit the Liangshan Assembly Hall to feel the heroic spirit, with a visiting time of about 3-4 hours. The entire itinerary can cover the main attractions of the two scenic areas in one day. If you want to visit more carefully and watch all the performances, you can arrange two days.
Transportation
- Bus: You can take Wuxi Bus No. 82, 87, 91, etc., directly to the entrance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin City. The fare is 2 yuan per person, with many departures, convenient and fast.
- Subway: Take Wuxi Metro Line 1 to "Changguangxi Station", then transfer to Bus No. 82 to reach the scenic area. The subway fare varies according to the distance, generally between 2-5 yuan.
- Tourist special line: There are special tourist buses in Wuxi to the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin City, such as "Happy Tour Line 1", covering major attractions, with a fare of 5 yuan per person, comfortable and convenient.
- Self-driving: The scenic area has a large parking lot, with a charging standard of 10 yuan per time (for small cars). Self-driving tourists can directly reach it via navigation. The parking lot is conveniently located near the entrance of the scenic area.
- Taxi/Online Car-hailing: Taking a taxi or online car-hailing from downtown Wuxi to the scenic area takes about 30-40 minutes, with the cost varying according to the departure location, generally between 50-100 yuan.
Must-visit Attractions
- Wu King's Palace: The core building of the Three Kingdoms City, covering an area of about 11,000 square meters, reproducing the court style of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. You can watch ancient costume performances and feel the royal majesty.
- Ancient Battlefield of Red Cliffs: With a lake area of about 65,000 square meters, there are antique warships and camps. The real-scene performance "Burning Red Cliffs" is shocking, showing the grandeur of the battles of the Three Kingdoms.
- Qingming Riverside Street: About 300 meters long, built according to Along the River During Qingming Festival, reproducing the prosperity of the Northern Song Dynasty's urban life. You can experience the life of the Song Dynasty and taste special snacks.
- Zishi Street: About 200 meters long, an important scene of the Water Margin stories, with Wu Dalang's home, Wang Po's Teahouse, etc., allowing you to feel the urban customs and heroic stories of the Water Margin.
- Liangshan Assembly Hall: A landmark building of the Water Margin City, with seats for 108 heroes, reflecting the spirit of the Liangshan heroes "enforcing justice on behalf of heaven", and is a must-visit attraction.
Travel Tips
- It is recommended to visit in spring and autumn when the weather is pleasant, the temperature is mild, suitable for long outdoor activities. In summer, pay attention to sun protection and heatstroke prevention; in winter, keep warm.
- The scenic area has rich performances, such as "Burning Red Cliffs" and "Three Heroes Fight Lü Bu". It is recommended to check the performance schedule in advance, arrange the itinerary reasonably, and avoid missing wonderful performances.
- The scenic area is large, and the walking time is long. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes. You can also take a sightseeing bus in the scenic area, with a fare of 20 yuan per person, which can travel between major attractions.
- In terms of catering, there are restaurants and food stalls in the scenic area, but the prices are relatively high. You can bring some drinking water and snacks, or go to restaurants around the scenic area to taste local specialties.
- There are many tourists during peak seasons (holidays, weekends). It is recommended to arrive at the scenic area in advance to avoid crowds. You can enter the scenic area between 8:00-9:00 in the morning for a more leisurely visit.
Notes
- Some buildings and facilities in the scenic area are antique. Tourists must cherish cultural relics and public facilities and must not climb, carve, or damage them.
- When watching real-scene performances, observe the on-site order, take seats and move according to the staff's guidance, do not walk around or make noise, so as not to affect others' viewing.
- There are many water areas in the scenic area. When visiting by the lake or river, pay attention to safety, do not play near the water, especially tourists with children must take good care of their children.
- There are many mosquitoes in the scenic area in summer. It is recommended to bring mosquito repellent, toilet water, and other anti-mosquito products to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
- The signal in the scenic area is good, but for the convenience of visiting, you can download the scenic area map in advance, understand the distribution of attractions and routes, and plan the visiting order reasonably.
- Respect the guidance and arrangements of the staff in the scenic area, abide by the regulations of the scenic area, visit politely, and jointly maintain the good environment of the scenic area.