Cover Act out your inner Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng in these ‘Pursuit of Jade’ locations (Photo: David Tran/Pexels)
Act out your inner Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng in these ‘Pursuit of Jade’ locations (Photo: David Tran/Pexels)
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Take yourself on an adventure with these stunning ‘Pursuit of Jade’ locations
Set centuries ago in a world of convenient marriages, blood feuds and battlefield reunions, Pursuit of Jade still feels tantalisingly real because so much of it was filmed in actual places rather than on green screens. The snow-covered roads where Fan Changyu first crosses paths with the marquis, the sprawling palaces where last stands are maintained, the mountain passes where armies march toward heartbreak? They all exist beyond the screen. And if you are willing to travel across China, you can still walk through the same streets, courtyards, lakes and misty valleys that framed one of the year’s most swoon-worthy action-adventure-romances.
While some scenes were shot in purpose-built studios like Xiangshan Film and Television Town, many Pursuit of Jade locations are visitable destinations in their own right. In these memorable backdrops, you can channel your inner Fan Changyu (Tian Xiwei), gaze dramatically into the distance like Xie Zheng (Zhang Linghe) and pretend a melancholy soundtrack scores your life.
Explore these Pursuit of Jade locations before fans start to head the same way.
In case you missed it: TV shows with Zhang Linghe: 6 dramas to watch after ‘Pursuit of Jade’
Hengdian World Studios
If Pursuit of Jade had a capital city, it would be Hengdian. The enormous studio complex in Zhejiang served as the drama’s main filming base, supplying everything from palace interiors and military compounds to noble estates, bustling market streets and imposing city gates. Here, the series’ political intrigue came alive: royal audiences, clandestine meetings, family compounds simmering with resentment and the kinds of lavish ceremonial scenes that made you want to own at least one embroidered cloak.
Often called the “Hollywood of China”, Hengdian World Studios is not just a working production base but also one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions. Visitors can wander through recreated dynastic palaces, watch stunt shows, see behind-the-scenes production spaces and explore districts modelled after different periods of Chinese history. Other productions filmed here include Love Like the Galaxy, Story of Kunning Palace and the Disney live-action film Mulan.
One of the most important sections of the complex for Pursuit of Jade was the Tang and Song Palatial District, where many of the drama’s most romantic and visually sumptuous moments were filmed. Long lantern-lined corridors, elegant courtyards, refined gardens and market streets gave the series some of its softest scenes, particularly those stolen moments between Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng that felt worlds away from the wars and betrayals around them. For travellers, it is perhaps the closest of these Pursuit of Jade locations to stepping directly into the world of C-drama.
Xiangshan Film and Television Town
If Hengdian handled the romance, Xiangshan brought the spectacle. The film town reportedly supplied Pursuit of Jade with some of its more expansive military and city sequences, including fortified streets, large-scale confrontation scenes and imposing city walls that made the drama’s world feel larger and more dangerous. Remember the Lin’an Town siege? That was here. This setting was featured in scenes where Xie Zheng looked most at home: riding into battle, leading soldiers through city gates or standing in the middle of a windswept courtyard contemplating both war and his feelings.
Located in Ningbo, Xiangshan Film and Television Town is one of China’s best-known historical filming sites and remains open to visitors. Travellers can explore reconstructed old towns, palace streets, military compounds and fortress walls that seem built for armies, rebellions and dramatic declarations of loyalty. It has also been used for productions such as The Legend of Condor Heroes and The Legend of Jade Sword.
Scenic sites of Lengquan
Where Hengdian delivered grandeur, Lengquan Scenic Area in Taizhou, Zhejiang, gave Pursuit of Jade its melancholy and whimsy. The quiet wooded setting reportedly appeared during some of the drama’s more emotional scenes: lonely walks through the snow, chance encounters on forest roads and those moments when the characters are separated by war, duty or the sheer tragedy of being two beautiful people who simply cannot communicate their feelings.
Lengquan is known for its serene natural beauty. It comes with forested paths, mountain air, streams and scenery that feels almost impossibly cinematic. After all, this is where the frozen waterfall scene from episode 14 was shot. It is the kind of place that rewards slow travel rather than checklist tourism. Even without the drama connection, it is easy to understand why a production would choose it for scenes full of longing and contemplation.
Yunnan Province
Yunnan provided some of Pursuit of Jade’s most breathtaking outdoor scenery, particularly during the drama’s travel and separation arcs. Wide mountain vistas, winding rivers and lush forests gave the series a sense of scale that contrasted beautifully with the tighter palace scenes. These were the places where characters rode across long distances, disappeared into exile or stood on opposite sides of a river looking tragically beautiful. Yunnan vistas were particularly used for the Exile Arc of the show. The Dali Erhai lakeside is where Xie Zheng stares wistfully in thought, while the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was used for high-altitude travel scenes.
For travellers, Yunnan is one of China’s most rewarding provinces. There are ancient towns like Lijiang and dramatic mountain scenery near Tiger Leaping Gorge on top of lakeside escapes. It is also one of the country’s most culturally diverse regions, home to many ethnic minority communities and boasts a famously vibrant food scene.
See more: 10 beginner C-dramas to watch if you miss ‘Pursuit of Jade’
Sichuan Province
In Pursuit of Jade, Sichuan’s rugged landscapes helped deepen the series’ wartime mood. Mist-covered mountains and rough terrain reportedly appeared during battlefield sequences (particularly “Battlefield of the North”) and aftermath moments, especially as Fan Changyu becomes increasingly entangled in the violence around her. The geography gave the show’s war arc a more grounded, human feeling—less glossy pageantry, more emotional devastation.
Sichuan may be on the list of beautiful Pursuit of Jade locations, but it is one of China’s most beloved destinations thanks to its fiery cuisine, dramatic scenery and laid-back cities. Visitors can see giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, hike in the mountains around Jiuzhaigou Valley or eat their way through Chengdu’s legendary hotpot scene. If Yunnan feels dreamy, Sichuan feels cinematic in a more rugged, weather-beaten way.
Dongyang Ancient Town
Located near Hengdian, Dongyang Ancient Town is reported to have supplied some of Pursuit of Jade’s quieter village and residential scenes. While it was not officially confirmed for major sequences, fans and industry watchers have pointed to its preserved streets and architecture as likely stand-ins for everyday life in the drama.
Unlike the grandeur of palace sets, Dongyang offers a more lived-in kind of beauty. Travellers can wander through old streets, admire traditional architecture and get a sense of the slower rhythms of Zhejiang life. It feels less like the site of an imperial conspiracy and more like the place where Fan Changyu might have bargained at a market before destiny, war and one extremely handsome marquis ruined her peace.
Taizhou and Shaoxing, more Zhejiang locations
Although Hengdian was the production’s anchor, Taizhou was also cited as one of the drama’s filming locations. Shaoxing, meanwhile, has long been a favourite for historical productions because of its canals, old bridges and elegant waterside architecture. Together, these Zhejiang cities offer the kind of scenery that Pursuit of Jade used so well: misty waterways, traditional residences and streets that feel frozen in time.
Taizhou is known for its mountain scenery and coastal beauty, while Shaoxing is famous for its literary history, rice wine and canal-lined old town. If you want the version of China that feels soft, poetic and a little bit haunted by old love stories, this part of Zhejiang may be the closest thing to stepping directly into Pursuit of Jade.
Hangzhou
Hangzhou appears to have been used for quieter city and lakeside scenes, giving Pursuit of Jade a softer visual counterpoint to its palace intrigue and wartime devastation. Where Hengdian brought grandeur, Hangzhou supplied tenderness. It bears canals, tree-lined paths, old bridges and streets that made Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng’s relationship feel briefly removed from all the bloodshed and betrayal surrounding them.
Today, Hangzhou remains one of China’s most beloved destinations, thanks largely to West Lake, whose willow-lined causeways, pagodas and dreamy waters have inspired poets and painters for centuries. Beyond the lake, travellers can visit Longjing tea fields, stroll through historic lanes and explore canal districts that still feel surprisingly timeless despite the city’s modern skyline. It is the kind of place that makes you want to dress dramatically, walk very slowly across a bridge and stare wistfully into the distance as though waiting for a marquis to return from war.
Sasha Lim-Uy Mariposa is a lifestyle journalist who is known for her food writing. Based in Manila, she also covers entertainment and dining, as well as a broad range of topics. She was the former digital editor at Esquire Philippines and was the digital managing editor at Spot.ph, and now writes for the different Tatler Asia markets as a contributing writer for T-Labs.
