How to Explore the Three Kingdoms City

When you hear the name Three Kingdoms City, what comes to mind? Here’s a bit of context to help you out: it’s in China. Now, what do you think? An ancient city adorned with red lanterns and dragon-shaped decor, where kings and queens reside in massive castles and preside over a rag-clad population from a podium with a throne? Well, that’s exactly what it is – only it’s not a real kingdom. Or maybe it is, depending on how you look at it.

What Is It Then?

Ever heard of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms? It’s a Chinese TV show that first aired in 1994. Inspired by the novel of the same title, it has five seasons and eighty-four episodes – a good watch if you’ve got some time off or feel like a bit of escapism. The Three Kingdoms City was purpose-built for that TV show! If you’re thinking, ‘Are you for real?’ – yeah! 

Now, it’s one of the best things to do in Wuxi, located less than half an hour from the Grand Park Hotel Wuxi by Park Hotel Group.

Now, turn the clock back to the 14th century, and it’s the story of the Three Kingdoms period in China, believed to have been between 220–280 AD. It’s a riveting tale that will keep you glued to the screen. There’s war, political intrigue, heroes, villains – the whole shebang. 

The set is built to reflect the architecture of that era. The designers and builders were clearly meticulous – every tiny detail was just right. If Emperor Xian were to come back to life, he’d approve! When you’re here, you’ll forget that you’re in the 21st century. It’s like you’ve travelled back in time to a completely different era, and just for a moment, right before you leave, you’d wish you could actually live in this kingdom, plotting and planning. Think you’d be good at it?

What’s really fascinating is that they decided to keep it. It was supposed to be just a film set, but they made it a permanent fixture. Thanks to that very wise decision, travellers visiting Wuxi can now roam through this make-believe ancient structure, feeling like they’ve stepped through the looking glass.

Getting Here 

The Three Kingdoms City is in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, in eastern China. It’s well within day-tripping distance – 100 kilometres, to be exact – from Shanghai. Take the train from Shanghai, and you’ll be in Wuxi in about an hour. From Wuxi Railway Station, you can take a taxi to Three Kingdoms City.

If you decide to drive, it will take about two hours to get here. Public transport is all well and good, but if you want to explore the city, you might consider renting a car – preferably with a driver.

Structure

As you approach Three Kingdoms City, the first thing you’ll notice is its sheer size – it’s massive and intricate. Now, hold on to your seat – this city spreads over 35 hectares. It’s mind-blowing, especially when you think about how it was built just for the purpose of making one TV show! Inside, you’ll find buildings, gates, towers, and palaces that were constructed with no expense spared. It’s clear that a great deal of planning, effort, and money went into it. With wooden barracks and fortresses all around you, you might expect a royal party to walk into the vicinity at any moment.

You should give yourself enough time to walk around because there’s plenty to see. You’ll come across several replicas of major landmarks, such as the Cao Cao Military Camp, the Sun Quan Palace, and the Liu Bei Palace. If you’re a fan of the show, how lucky you are – visiting the actual set is every fan’s dream.

Was the Three Kingdoms City Story True?

Yes and no. It was inspired by real-life events that took place during the Three Kingdoms era, but the TV show is a series of dramatised events involving both fact and fiction. The actual Three Kingdoms period did happen, but the novel and the TV show add layers of mythology to the story, which is what makes it so captivating. Characters like Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Quan were real, but their dialogue and exploits were exaggerated for dramatic effect.