Filming in China: Iconic Movie Locations Worth Visiting

Filming in China

China ranks among the world's most filmed-in nations, with decades of domestic and international productions drawing on the country's dramatic natural scenery and imperial architecture. For foreign visitors, the connection runs both ways: landscapes that inspired fictional worlds and historic sites that doubled as film sets are open to travelers who know where to look. Zhangjiajie appears in Avatar's concept art, Hengdian World Studios built Mulan's Imperial City from scratch, and the Great Wall has anchored everything from Zhang Yimou epics to Matt Damon blockbusters.

This guide covers seven filming locations across China — parks, studios, and heritage sites — with entry fees in USD and RMB, seasonal advice, and the transport links that string them into a single route. None of these require a film permit to visit as a tourist.

Quick Facts

Avatar's Floating Mountains at Zhangjiajie

The sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan in Hunan Province inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar (2009). The creative link is direct: director James Cameron cited the pillar formations of Yuanjiajie as a visual reference during pre-production. Wulingyuan itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1992, and the park's geological features match the otherworldly scale the film depicted. Visitors walk the same boardwalks and viewpoints that appear in promotional imagery for the film.

Avatar's China Connection

Avatar Mountains in China

The connection between Avatar and Zhangjiajie is one of the most cited film-location facts in Chinese tourism. However, the 2009 film did not shoot actors on location in Hunan. Instead, the pillar formations at Yuanjiajie served as visual inspiration for the film's 3D compositing team. The result is a landscape that looks like Zhangjiajie elevated into the sky. Today, travelers who visit Wulingyuan recognize the same pillar clusters — particularly the column formation nicknamed "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain" in park signage and tour marketing — from the film.

What to See at Zhangjiajie

Golden Whip Stream

Wulingyuan is a large scenic area with multiple sub-zones. Most visitors spend two to three days here, working through the key viewpoints.

• Yuanjiajie: The core pillar cluster — the section most directly linked to Avatar. A viewing platform overlooks the formations; the Bailong Elevator (a glass cliff elevator) provides access from the valley floor.
• Tianzi Mountain: A high plateau offering panoramic views over the pillars, particularly striking during early morning when low cloud drifts between the columns.
• Golden Whip Stream: A valley-bottom forest walk alongside a clear mountain stream, offering a contrast to the high aerial views from the upper platforms.
• Ten-mile Gallery: A scenic rail line through forested gorge, suitable for visitors who want broad landscape views without a steep climb.
• Tianmen Mountain: A separate peak near Zhangjiajie city, accessed by a long-distance cable car. The mountain's natural arch — "Heaven's Gate" — is one of the most photographed natural features in China.

Practical Details

🏔️ Avatar Inspiration: Plan your route through the floating peaks using our visitor guide to the Real Avatar Mountains.

Mulan's Imperial China at Hengdian

Disney's 2020 live-action Mulan was filmed at two main locations in Zhejiang Province. The Imperial City sequences were constructed and shot at Hengdian World Studios, while the bamboo-forest scenes used the actual bamboo groves of Anji. The 1998 animated film, by contrast, was not filmed on location in China — it used domestic studios and international animation work.

Hengdian World Studios

The Hengdian World Studios

Hengdian is one of China's largest film production bases, and several zones are open to day visitors. The complex operates as a working studio, so filming may be in progress and access to certain areas can shift without notice.

• Qing Ming Shang He Yuan: A recreated Song-dynasty street set. Used in Mulan (2020) and numerous wuxia productions. The street is lined with period-accurate shopfronts and offers live stunt shows several times daily.
• Ming & Qing Palace Gardens: An imperial palace complex scaled from Beijing's Forbidden City. The exterior sets have appeared in The Battle at Lake Changjin and other war epics.
• Dream Bund: A 1930s Shanghai street set, complete with neon signage and period vehicles. Popular for photography and evening visits.
• New Yuanmingyuan: A partial recreation of Beijing's Old Summer Palace, built for historical accuracy rather than film production.
• Guangzhou Street: The oldest set at Hengdian, built in the 1990s. Now primarily a visitor attraction, it features Cantonese-style shopfronts and heritage displays.

Anji Bamboo Sea

Anji Bamboo Sea

The Anji Tianhuangping, commonly referred to as the Anji Bamboo Sea, covers roughly 25 square kilometers of managed bamboo forest in Zhejiang Province. The park holds A-level scenic area designation and appears in multiple Chinese film and television productions. Disney's Mulan (2020) filmed bamboo-forest sequences here, using the dense canopy and filtered light that the real forest provides. The site is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Hangzhou or Shanghai, making it suitable as a day trip. Hikers and photographers favor the elevated boardwalk circuit for overhead views across the bamboo canopy.

Wuxia Classics in China's Mountains

Several internationally recognized wuxia films drew on specific Chinese landscapes for their sword-fighting sequences and atmospheric scenes. The locations below remain accessible to travelers and are often cited in tour itineraries as the "film locations" of their respective titles.

Crouching Tiger at Hongcun & Huangshan

Hongcun Village

Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) filmed at multiple sites in Anhui Province. The Hongcun–Xidi Ancient Villages are UNESCO-listed (inscribed 2000) and form the primary visitor destination for film-related tourism.

• Hongcun Ancient Village: Moon Lake and South Lake appear in early sequences. The village's overhanging eaves reflected in still water match the film's opening visual tone.
• Xidi Ancient Village: The adjacent UNESCO village, with 800-year-old Huizhou architecture, used for street scenes not shot at Hongcun.
• Huangshan (Yellow Mountain): The film's mountain sequences include shots set on Huangshan, where mist-filled valleys and granite peaks provide the dramatic backdrop. Lion Peak offers the most accessible sea-of-clouds viewpoint.
• Huangshan Hot Spring Area: The base of Huangshan, with natural hot springs used in downtime scenes in some wuxia productions filmed in the region.

🏮 Historic Wuxia Scenery: Discover the reflection pools and ancient Huizhou architecture of Hongcun Village.

Hero's Lakes in Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou

Zhang Yimou's Hero (2002) used parts of Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan for sequences featuring vivid turquoise and multicolored lakes. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1992) and operates with a daily visitor cap during peak season. The specific lake formations around Shuzheng and the autumn color of the surrounding forest match scenes in the film's second act. Peak-season entry runs about $30 (¥220); off-season roughly $11 (¥80). Confirm current visitor cap and booking requirements on the official Jiuzhaigou park site before planning a visit.

💦 Turquoise Water Landscapes: Explore the most iconic vibrant waters in the park with our guide to the Five Color Lake of Jiuzhaigou.

Kung Fu Panda in Chengdu

Giant Pandas of Chengdu

DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda franchise draws its visual setting from Sichuan Province. The films were animated in Glendale and Burbank, but the cultural reference points are explicitly Sichuanese.

• Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: The franchise's namesake panda originates from the Chengdu breeding program. Visitors can see the live animals that inspired the character.
• Wide and Narrow Alleys (Kuanzhai Alleychen): A historic Chengdu neighborhood with preserved Qing-dynasty architecture. Some promotional materials and visual research for the franchise drew from this area.
• Mount Qingcheng: A Taoist mountain near Chengdu, cited in interviews with the film's art directors as a visual reference for the "cursed valley" sequences. The mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2000).
• Sichuan Cuisine: The franchise references Sichuan pepper and regional cooking. Chengdu's food culture is a draw in its own right for travelers following the film's setting.

🐼 See Real Pandas: Learn how to book tickets and plan your visit to the Chengdu Panda Park.

Imperial Beijing's Film Sets

Beijing's historic core provides two categories of film location: the preserved heritage sites themselves and reconstructed studio sets. For travelers, the city works as a single hub — most of the relevant sites sit within a day's travel of each other, and both the Forbidden City and Summer Palace are metro-accessible from central Beijing.

The Forbidden City — Last Emperor

Forbidden City

Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (1987) shot extensively inside the Forbidden City. The film won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Several key interior spaces appear in the film and remain visitable today.

• Hall of Supreme Harmony: The largest hall, used for the film's coronation sequence. The interior is largely restored; the scale of the space is best appreciated from the exterior courtyard.
• Treasury Gallery (Baoshan): The small buildings flanking the main halls contain period artifacts. Some exterior shots in The Last Emperor frame these as the setting for court-intrigue passages.
• Imperial Garden: The northern garden, with pavilions and rockeries, appears in later-period exteriors. Less crowded than the central axis.
• Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu Men): The northern exit gate. In the film, it serves as a transition shot marking the transition between palace life and exile.

Entry runs about $9 (¥60) during peak season. Foreign visitors must book advance reservations through the Palace Museum's official booking system. The site closes on Mondays.

The Summer Palace — Imperial Drama

Summer Palace

The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) appears in The Last Emperor and serves as a location for numerous Chinese historical television dramas. Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor, and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge are the most recognizable features. Entry runs $5–8 (¥30–60) depending on the ticket bundle selected. Summer brings lotus flowers on the lake; winter offers ice-skating on the frozen surface — two seasonal draws that show up frequently in travel photography.

The Great Wall — Hollywood on the Wall

Mutianyu

The Great Wall has appeared in productions ranging from Zhang Yimou's Hero to the 2016 Matt Damon feature The Great Wall. The Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1987) and spans multiple provinces; each accessible section requires a separate ticket.

• Mutianyu: The most visited restored section near Beijing. Tower-dense, wheelchair-accessible via cable car, and less crowded than Badaling. Most day-trip tours operate here.
• Jinshanling: Partially restored, less commercialized than Mutianyu. Favored by hikers for the linked watchtowers and the original-masonry sections between them.
• Huangyaguan: Claimed by the 2016 The Great Wall production for its Ming-dynasty features. The section is more distant from Beijing and attracts fewer visitors.
• Jiankou: Wild Wall — unrestored, steep, and not maintained for tourist access. Some aerial sequences in 2016 used this section for background shots. Hikers with experience should only attempt it with a guide.

🏯 Capital Highlights: Build a complete trip itinerary around the imperial city with these top Things to Do in Beijing.

Plan Your Film Location Trip

The seven sites covered in this guide span four provinces plus Beijing. A logical route moves east-to-west (Beijing to Hunan, then south to Zhejiang and Sichuan), or vice versa. The itinerary below uses a Beijing-based departure point. Adjust based on your arrival city.

Getting Between Filming Sites

Tickets and Entry in USD and RMB

A 10-Day Itinerary

This route strings the major film sites into a logical east-to-west progression, starting from Beijing and ending in Shanghai or returning to Beijing by air.

• Day 1: Arrive Beijing. Settle in, explore a central district (Nanluoguxiang or Wangfujing) to adjust to the city.
• Day 2: Forbidden City (advance booking required, closed Mondays) in the morning. Summer Palace in the afternoon. Both metro-accessible from the city center.
• Day 3: Day trip to Mutianyu Great Wall. Add Jinshanling if time and fitness allow — the two sections are roughly one hour apart by road.
• Day 4: Morning flight Beijing to Zhangjiajie (via Changsha if no direct). Arrive afternoon. Check into Wulingyuan gateway town accommodation.
• Day 5: Full day at Wulingyuan — Yuanjiajie pillars and Tianzi Mountain. Take the Bailong Elevator up and the环保车 (scenic bus) circuit down.
• Day 6: Tianmen Mountain — the full cable car circuit and Heaven's Gate arch. Fly or take the evening train toward Huangshan.
• Day 7: Arrive Tunxi (Huangshan North station). Drive to Hongcun Ancient Village (UNESCO) in the morning, then onward to Huangshan for the afternoon.
• Day 8: Huangshan sunrise from Lion Peak. Descend by cable car, then HSR to Shanghai Hongqiao (3 hours).
• Day 9: Option A: Day trip to Anji Bamboo Sea from Shanghai (2.5 hours each way by road). Option B: Detour to Hengdian World Studios (4 hours from Shanghai by road or rail + taxi).
• Day 10: HSR or fly back to Beijing. Depart.

For travelers adding the Kung Fu Panda and Jiuzhaigou sites, insert a Chengdu leg between Days 6 and 7. Beijing–Chengdu flights run roughly 2.5 hours; allow two nights for the Panda Base and city.

Filming Rules for Visitors

Tourists visiting film locations in China operate under a different regime than film crews. The distinctions matter because the rules covering professional productions (permits, visas, location agreements) do not apply to casual visitors with a phone camera.

Can You Film in Public?

Handheld personal photography and video recording are generally permitted in outdoor scenic areas and on city streets. Restrictions apply in specific contexts: museum interiors with posted no-photography signs (the Forbidden City's palace halls fall into this category), religious interiors during active ceremonies, and military or government zones marked as such. The Chinese sign "请勿拍照" (please do not photograph) is the clearest indicator of a restriction. In most outdoor heritage areas — the Great Wall, Huangshan, Wulingyuan — handheld phone filming is allowed. Tripods and flash photography are more consistently restricted in interiors; outdoor scenic areas generally permit handheld photography without equipment restrictions.

Drones and Tripods

Drone regulations in China are enforced by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). All drones above 250 grams require registration. Beyond registration, the practical constraints for travelers are more significant.

• Most major scenic areas prohibit drone takeoff and landing within park boundaries. Zhangjiajie, Huangshan, Jiuzhaigou, and the accessible Great Wall sections all enforce this rule. Confirm each park's current policy via its English-language website before traveling with a drone.
• Airspace near airports is restricted year-round. Beijing Capital, Changsha Huanghua, and other major hub airports maintain no-fly zones extending many kilometers. Do not launch near flight paths.
• Tripod-mounted photography is allowed at most outdoor sites. Inside museums and heritage interiors, tripods are generally prohibited. The Forbidden City's interior halls and the Palace Museum's sensitive galleries enforce this consistently.
• Commercial drone use requires the same airspace permits as recreational use. There is no separate tourist-friendly commercial pathway. If a drone is essential to a visit, contact the relevant park authority in advance for a written confirmation of rules.

When You Need a Permit

Commercial filming — defined as content produced for paid distribution, advertising, branded content, or professional media — requires the formal Chinese film permit system and an appropriate visa (Z for work, M for business, or J-2 for journalist). This system involves a three-tier permit structure (Standard / Location / Complex), with approval from both national and provincial film offices. The China Film Co-Production Corporation is the primary official liaison for international productions.

Tourists using a smartphone to record personal memories or social media posts do not need any permit. The dividing line is monetization and professional distribution, not the camera type. If the content is for personal use and not contracted for professional release, the permit system does not apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where in China was Avatar filmed?

Avatar's floating Hallelujah Mountains were inspired by the sandstone pillar formations of Yuanjiajie in Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan Province. The 2009 film did not shoot actors on location; Zhangjiajie is the visual reference and is open to visitors with a 4-day Wulingyuan pass about $30 (¥225).

Q: Where was Mulan filmed in China?

Disney's 2020 live-action Mulan was filmed at Hengdian World Studios (Imperial City scenes) in Zhejiang Province and at Anji Bamboo Sea for the bamboo-forest sequences. The 1998 animated Mulan was not filmed on location in China.

Q: Can you film in public in China?

Handheld personal filming is generally allowed in outdoor scenic areas and on city streets. Restrictions apply inside museum interiors with no-photo signs, in religious interiors during ceremonies, and in military or government zones. Drones and tripod-mounted commercial shoots have additional rules covered in the Filming Rules for Visitors section.

Q: Where was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon filmed?

Filmed in Anhui Province at Hongcun Ancient Village (UNESCO) and on Huangshan or Yellow Mountain, plus Wudang Mountains in Hubei. Travelers visit the Hongcun and Huangshan side; Wudang is in Hubei and a separate trip.

Q: Was The Great Wall movie filmed in China?

Yes. The 2016 Matt Damon film used sections in Hebei including Huangyaguan and Badaling-area shots, plus aerial footage over Jiankou. Tourists typically visit the restored Mutianyu or Jinshanling sections rather than the production sections.

Q: How much does it cost to visit Zhangjiajie?

Wulingyuan 4-day pass about $30 (¥225). Tianmen Mountain entry plus cable car about $30 (¥261). Bookable via Trip.com or Klook. Accommodation in the Wulingyuan gateway town ranges about $30–70 (¥200–500) per night.

Q: Do tourists need a filming permit in China?

Personal-use handheld filming requires no permit for tourists. Commercial filming (features, ads, branded content) needs the Standard or Location permit system and a Z, M, or J-2 visa.

Q: Was Rush Hour 2 filmed in China?

Rush Hour 2 (2001) was filmed primarily in Hong Kong (the SAR counts as China for film purposes). Scenes used Victoria Peak, Aberdeen, and Lantau; mainland China filming was minimal.