3 places in China Pursuit of Jade was possibly filmed at

The scenic backdrops and storied architecture in the latest hit period drama, Pursuit of Jade (POJ), are reason enough to spark a China getaway — especially as the country finds itself at the centre of the internet’s latest cultural fixation.

Whether your POJ phase has spiralled into a full-fledged historical Chinese drama binge, deepened your fascination with Chinese culture, or simply left you longing to recreate your favourite scenes, there’s no better excuse to explore a country with one of the world’s richest and longest histories.

From sweeping battlegrounds to picturesque lakes and historical streets, here are three places in China where POJ was reportedly filmed at — and worth adding to your travel list.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province

Parts of the drama were reportedly filmed in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province in eastern China.

Marked as one of the country’s ancient capitals, Hangzhou’s history stretches back to the Qin Dynasty (221 BC to 206 BC). Today, it’s best known for its poetic landscapes and tranquil, postcard-perfect scenery.

While it’s unclear which exact scenes from POJ were shot here, a visit to the city’s West Lake is a must if you’re deep in your period drama era or simply drawn to China’s rich cultural tapestry. 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the lake is home to over 100 historical landmarks, from misty pagodas and ancient temples to pavilions, classical gardens and willow-lined causeways. Among its most famous features are the “Ten Scenes of West Lake”— a series of poetically named vistas that reflect traditional Chinese landscape aesthetics, first formed during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 A.D. to 1279 A.D).

Fanatics of the show can also take a two-hour drive from Hangzhou to Hengdian World Studios, in the middle of Zhejiang Province, where most of the drama’s palace scenes and intricate period backdrops were reportedly filmed. Often dubbed “China’s Hollywood”, it is the world’s largest film and TV shooting base, spanning more than 20 expansive zones that recreate architectural styles from across dynastic China, even as far back as the Qin dynasty.

Elaborate sets of gardens, grand city gates and bustling old-town streets were said to stand in for key locations in the series, including Ming and Qing Palatial Gardens, where the drum beating and Fan Changyu’s court proceeding happened, Lin’an Town, the home of Fan Changyu and Xiezheng, and Tianxiang Building where female lead Fan Changyu tosses a headband to male lead Xiezhang, according to Singapore travel agency Trip.com’s blog.

Hengdian World Studios also houses many other historic palaces, buildings, valleys and streets, making it a popular filming place for many large-scale period dramas and movies like Story of Yanxi Palace (2018), Nirvana in Fire (2015) and The Warrior’s Gate (2016). 

Visitors can explore the sets firsthand, rent period costumes and wander through the very backdrops seen on screen. 

Many choose to make it a one- or two-day trip from Hangzhou, with a range of themed hotels nearby — some styled after traditional Chinese residences or even film sets.

Chongqing

In the drama, scenes set in the Baxia territory were reportedly filmed at Three Natural Bridges, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site located in Wulong — about a three-hour drive from the bustling city of Chongqing.

Within POJ, Baxia is home to the villainous brothers Qi Min and Sui Yuanqing, and serves as the dramatic backdrop for Xie Zheng’s battle to save Ningniang, Fan Changyu’s younger sister. In reality, the landscape is just as cinematic: a sweeping karst landscape with towering limestone formations and mist-laced valleys.

Often dubbed an “8-D city” for its multi-layered urban terrain — where one building’s ground floor can double as another’s 12th floor, and trains even pass directly through buildings — Chongqing is famed for its vertical, cyberpunk-like cityscape. But venture out to Wulong, and the scenery shifts to something far more elemental.

At Three Natural Bridges, visitors can walk beneath three huge limestone arches, the Tianlong (Sky Dragon), Qinglong (Azure Dragon) and Heilong (Black Dragon), set amid waterfalls, hidden caves and underground streams. There’s also the historic Tianfu Posthouse, built in the 2nd year of the Wude era (618–626), the first reign period in the Tang dynasty.

Besides POJ, action film Transformers: Age of Extinction was filmed at Three Natural Bridges — where visitors can spot a statue of Optimus Prime on a dinosaur autobot — as well as Chinese 2006 film Curse of the Golden Flower. 

Yunnan Province

Yunnan province is also believed to be among the drama’s possible filming locations — though specific scenes have not been confirmed. It’s easy to see why: the region is famed for its breathtaking, vast natural landscapes, from terraced hills to snow-capped mountains, alongside ancient towns rich in culture and history. 

Tourists often flock to Kunming, the provincial capital, also known as China’s “City of Eternal Spring” due to the year-round mild climate of 15 degrees celsius. Many visit the UNESCO-listed Stone Forest, often described as one of China’s most extraordinary natural wonders. Its dramatic stone formations — rising like jagged pillars from the earth — create an almost otherworldly landscape. 

For those chasing the romance of a period drama, or wanting to feel like a townsfolk in a scene of POJ, the Old Town of Lijiang is the perfect place to visit. 

With its cobblestone streets, traditional wooden shophouses and waterways, the town reflects the heritage of the Naxi ethnic minority. Today, the place is also widely popular amongst youths, as the streets are lined with hundreds of Yunnanese street food stalls, clothing shops and souvenir shops. 

By night, the area comes alive as visitors pack into the bars and music clubs around, making the town a trendy spot while retaining its rich cultural heritage. 

For truly cinematic scenery, head to the famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, whose dramatic, snowy mountainous landscapes feel straight out of the scenes in POJ. 

At its base, spots like Blue Moon Valley and Black Dragon Pool offer some of the most picturesque vantage points of the range. Visitors can also take a cable car up to viewing platforms at 4,680m — one of the highest in the region — for ethereal scenic views. (Do note: at high altitudes oxygen levels are low and may cause dizziness, rapid heart rates and breathing difficulties, and it’s common to see travellers with portable oxygen tanks in hand.)

And if you’re leaning fully into the fantasy, well, who’s to say you won’t stumble upon your own handsome man trapped in the snow to rescue, bring home, care for, and perhaps fall in love with along the way.