Dunhuang Movie Set
Dunhuang Movie Set, also known as Modeled Shazhou Town of Song Dynasty (960-1279), is about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) southwest of the city. The town, covering an area of 12,700 square meters (3.1 acres) was originally designed for the setting of the historical film Dunhuang in 1987. The film was made in cooperation with Japan and the set reproduced the layout and construction on a part of the famous scroll painting Qingming Shanghe Tu (The Outing at Bian River on Qingming Festival).
Dunhuang Movie Set presents its majestic appearance in the vast Gobi bearing a rich flavor of the west regions of China. Fully representing the military importance of the western regions in the Tang (618-907) and Song Dynasties, the complex here can give one an impression that the clock has turned backwards to ancient times. Gates are erected on the east, south and west sides of the town. The five main streets, namely the Gaochang, Dunhuang, Ganzhou, Xingqing and Bianliang, criss-cross each other inside the town. Various constructions with distinct characteristics of the Song Dynasty are scattered along the streets, housing arcades, temples, hockshops, warehouses, pothouses, restaurants, dwelling houses and so on.
Taking full advantage of its uniqueness for making movies with a military theme, Dunhuang Movie Set has become the biggest set for shooting movies in northwest China. More than twenty films and television series have been produced here, apart from the movie Dunhuang so far. You might be surprised to recognize the familiar scenes from one of your favorite movies when you are strolling around the town. So be prepared for the unexpected!
This Dunhuang Movie Set is very interesting both for its historical value for putting the vision of the ancient west China into perspective and for its important role in movie-making industry.
How to get to Dunhuang Movie Set
Take a taxi from downtown area to the scenic area directly and it takes about 15mins.
Entrance Fee | CNY 40; Free for children under 1.2m (3.9 feet). |
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Opening Hours | 8:00 - 18:00 |
Great Dunhuang Movie Set in Baiyin
This site is located halfway between the Yellow River Stone Forest Scenic Spot and the ancient city of Yongtai (
Since its opening, this place has attracted many filmmakers to shoot here. For example, the movie "Xuehua Nage Piao" (Flying Snowflakes) and the TV serial "Da Dunhuang" (Great Dunhuang) are shot on this set. Use of the set is free for making any films or television shows related to Dunhuang.
Entrance Fee | CNY 20; Free for children under 1m (3.3 feet). |
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Opening Hours | 8:00 - 20:00 |
It is generally easy to travel in the city, and you can use public bus and taxi. By the way, the drivers won't charge by meter. They prefer flat rate.