Wuxi Water Margin City

Wuxi Water Margin City

Water Margin City

Wuxi Water Margin City is another film and television production base invested and built by China Central Television (CCTV) after Tang City and Three Kingdoms City, specifically for shooting the large-scale TV series "Water Margin." In March 1996, the "Water Margin" production crew moved in to start filming, and the site was officially opened to the public on March 8, 1997.

Wuxi Water Margin City is adjacent to Three Kingdoms City to the south, borders Taihu Lake to the west, covers an area of 580 acres, and has 1,500 acres of water surface available for filming. The main scenic areas of Water Margin City can be divided into three parts: the Prefecture & County Area, the Imperial City Area, and the Liangshan Area.

Prefecture & County Area, Zishi Street

The Prefecture & County Area includes scenes reflecting the lives of the middle and lower classes in the Northern Song Dynasty as depicted in "Water Margin," featuring government offices, prisons, execution grounds, streets, shops, and manors. The most distinctive attraction is Zishi Street. On this street are well-known establishments such as Wu Dalang’s Pancake Shop, Widow Wang’s Teahouse, and Butcher Zheng’s Meat Stall. These buildings exude a strong traditional style, with meticulously crafted aging effects that recreate the historical ambiance of the Northern Song Dynasty. Many scenes from "Water Margin" were filmed in the Prefecture & County Area, including “Blood Splatters the Mandarin Duck Tower,” “Widow Wang Schemes for Romance,” and “Wu Song Fights and Kills Ximen Qing.” On Zishi Street, traces of the "Water Margin" filming can be seen everywhere.

Imperial City Area · Qingming Riverside Street

The buildings in the Imperial City Area are majestic and splendid, including the Imperial Palace, Great Xiangguo Temple, Fanlou (Pavilion), and Gao Qiu’s Mansion. Scenes such as “Emperor Huizong Holds Court” and “Lin Chong Breaks into the White Tiger Hall” from "Water Margin" were filmed here. An important structure in the Imperial City Area, Qingming Riverside Street, was designed and built based on the layout from the famous Northern Song painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by Zhang Zeduan, depicting the area from the Rainbow Bridge to the streets and city gates. The daily life and atmosphere of the people in the Song Dynasty are vividly presented here. Water Margin City has set up various traditional handicraft workshops and shops along this street that showcase Chinese cultural heritage, along with folk performances such as acrobatics, puppet shows, magic, and animal acts.

Liangshan Area · Loyalty and Righteousness Hall

The Liangshan Area is built against the mountain and beside the lake, with attractions constructed along the mountain slope including Liangshan Dock, Fortress Gate, Drill Ground, Twisted Gate, Golden Severance Pavilion, and Loyalty and Righteousness Hall. The "Water Margin" crew filmed scenes here such as “Lu Junyi Joins Liangshan,” “The Ranking of Liangshan Heroes,” and “The Tragic Wind of Water Margin.” More than ten replica ancient Song Dynasty boats used in the filming of "Water Margin," including Gao Qiu’s official boat, oar boats, wheel boats, and warships, are now available for tourists to cruise on Taihu Lake.

In addition, there are several scattered attractions built along the lake, creating unique scenery amid the landscape, such as Xunyang Tower where Song Jiang inscribed his rebellious poem, and Shijie Village, the residence of the three Ruan brothers. Wuxi Water Margin City Performances

Like Tang City and Three Kingdoms City, Wuxi Water Margin City is both a film and television production base and a tourist destination. In addition to observing the filmmaking process, visitors can also enjoy a variety of rich and colorful performances within the city.

Currently, Wuxi Water Margin City offers twelve performances daily. These shows, carefully choreographed based on scenes from "Water Margin," are both thrilling and moving. Highlights include the large-scale siege performance “Capture Gaotang City for Justice,” lively street performances “Brothers Reunite” and “Yang Zhi Sells His Sword,” as well as demonstrations of Chinese martial arts culture such as “Yan Qing Challenges the Wrestlers,” “Wu Song Drunkenly Beats Jiang Men Shen,” and “Heroes of Liangshan.” Water Margin stories can be experienced at any time, making the visit truly unforgettable.

Address: No. 128, Shanshui West Road, Binhu District, Wuxi City

Type: Film City

Rating: AAAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 2–3 hours

Phone: 0510-85552687; 0510-85555252; 0510-85558370

Official Website: http://www.ctvwx.com/

Opening Hours:

7:30-17:30

Ticket Information:

Three Kingdoms City: 90 RMB, Water Margin City: 85 RMB, Tang City: 65 RMB, Combined Ticket for Three Kingdoms City + Water Margin City: 150 RMB, Three-City Combined Ticket: 215 RMB.