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| Where Was The Lament of Autumn Filmed? All the 2026 Chinese Drama Locations. |
The 2026 Chinese drama The Lament of Autumn brings Republican-era China to the screen through grand military residences, historic streets, vintage architecture and misty mountain landscapes. For viewers wondering where The Lament of Autumn was filmed, the production's reported locations span Hengdian in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hangzhou and Ningbo. These destinations offer a fascinating glimpse into the settings associated with the series, from elaborate studio-built streets to historic districts and countryside scenery.
Not every individual filming spot has been publicly identified, which is hardly surprising when productions need to protect their schedules and keep filming locations manageable. After all, the last thing a crew needs is a crowd of enthusiastic fans turning a carefully planned scene into an impromptu tourist convention. For anyone planning a trip inspired by the drama, these locations offer a starting point for exploring China's historical and cultural attractions.
Hengdian World Studios, Zhejiang Province, is the first destination to consider when exploring the reported filming locations of The Lament of Autumn. Located in Dongyang, Hengdian is one of China's best-known film and television production centres, with extensive sets designed to recreate different historical periods. Its large-scale streetscapes make it particularly suitable for dramas that need convincing period architecture without having to transform an entire modern city.
The Guangzhou Street and Hong Kong Street scenic area recreates the atmosphere of early twentieth-century urban life through vintage shopfronts, traditional-looking commercial buildings and streets designed to evoke the past. These settings fit the drama's depiction of city life, social divisions and encounters between characters from different backgrounds. Visitors can explore the studio attractions and see how filmmakers construct convincing historical environments. It is also a useful destination for anyone curious about how television productions make streets look decades older than they actually are.
Another important section of Hengdian World Studios is the Republic of China Street, which provides architecture inspired by the Republican period. Its streets, façades and traditional commercial settings suit stories involving military families, political tensions and everyday life during a turbulent historical era. In The Lament of Autumn, the visual contrast between powerful families and ordinary residents is central to the period setting, making this type of environment particularly appropriate. Travellers interested in Chinese historical dramas can explore the studio's themed streets and observe the details that help recreate an earlier period. Dongyang also offers opportunities to experience traditional local culture and regional cuisine, making it worth considering a little time outside the studio complex. Just remember that a convincing period street does not automatically transport you to the 1920s; your modern phone and the queue for lunch will probably spoil that illusion rather quickly.
Shanghai Film Shooting Base in Chedun, Shanghai, is another reported production location worth knowing about. Also known as Shanghai Film Park, the site is recognised for its recreated Republican-era streets, vintage transport features and architecture inspired by old Shanghai. Its period-style urban environment makes it suitable for productions requiring the appearance of an earlier Chinese city without relying entirely on modern streets. In a drama such as The Lament of Autumn, this kind of setting can help establish the political atmosphere and the contrast between public life and private struggles. The park's traditional-looking buildings and broad streets also provide a distinctive visual backdrop for historical productions. Visitors can explore the film-themed environment and appreciate the work involved in making a constructed setting feel lived-in. Shanghai itself adds plenty to a trip, particularly for those interested in the city's architectural heritage, waterfront scenery and long history as a commercial centre.
The vintage streets and tramway-style settings at Shanghai Film Park deserve particular attention from fans interested in the drama's visual identity. Period productions often depend on a combination of carefully designed façades, props, costumes and camera angles to recreate an urban environment convincingly. Old-fashioned street layouts help establish the setting before a character even speaks, while vintage transport details can make a scene feel rooted in a specific historical period. Shanghai Film Park offers a setting built around precisely this sort of cinematic illusion. Its streets are worth exploring for anyone interested in film production, photography or the history-inspired architecture often seen in Chinese television dramas. Visitors should check current access arrangements before travelling, as individual attractions and filming facilities may operate under different rules. It is a reminder that even the most convincing fictional street requires a considerable amount of real-world planning.
Tianjin's Five Great Avenues, known as Wudadao, offer a different architectural experience from the purpose-built studio environments. The district is famous for its historic European-influenced villas, mansions and tree-lined streets, reflecting the city's complex architectural history. These buildings provide a striking backdrop for stories involving wealth, status and political influence, themes that feature prominently in Republican-era dramas.
The area's grand residences make it easy to understand why filmmakers seeking an imposing historical atmosphere might be drawn to Tianjin. Visitors can explore the district on foot, admire its varied architectural styles and discover how the city developed into an important centre of trade and international exchange. The Five Great Avenues are also an appealing destination for architecture enthusiasts who want more than a quick photograph outside a handsome building. Allow enough time to explore, because rushing past several historic mansions just to tick them off a list rather defeats the point.
The former Italian concession in Tianjin, particularly the historic streets around Italian Style Town, offers another architectural setting for travellers exploring the city's Republican-era heritage. The district contains buildings influenced by European design, creating a noticeably different atmosphere from traditional Chinese streetscapes. Such surroundings fit the broader visual language of period dramas that depict wealthy households, political institutions and social circles shaped by international influences.
The area also provides restaurants, cafés and pedestrian-friendly streets, giving visitors a chance to spend time in the city rather than treating it as a brief stop between filming-related destinations. Its architectural variety makes it an interesting addition to a Tianjin itinerary, particularly for anyone drawn to the contrast between traditional Chinese design and imported styles. Naturally, not every grand building belongs to a fictional military family, but the real history behind these streets is interesting enough without needing a dramatic soundtrack.
Siming Mountain in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, brings a more natural atmosphere to the collection of landscapes associated with the drama's production. The mountainous region is known for its forested scenery, winding roads, valleys and stone bridges, offering a contrast to the elaborate urban environments of Hengdian and Shanghai. Such landscapes are well suited to period stories that move between military centres, rural communities and isolated stretches of countryside.
The combination of hills and dense vegetation can create a sense of distance from the political world dominating the characters' lives. For travellers, Siming Mountain offers an opportunity to explore Zhejiang beyond its major cities, with scenic drives and outdoor experiences forming part of the appeal. Weather conditions can change in mountainous areas, so comfortable footwear and suitable clothing are sensible choices. If your idea of a holiday involves escaping crowded shopping streets for greenery and winding mountain roads, this region deserves serious consideration.
Xikou Ancient Town in Fenghua, Ningbo, adds another historical destination to a trip through eastern Zhejiang. Known for its traditional streets, heritage buildings and cultural associations, Xikou offers a different experience from the constructed environments of a film studio. Its historic atmosphere makes it appealing to travellers interested in the architecture and social history that frequently inspire period dramas.
Walking through an old town also offers a chance to appreciate the relationship between buildings, local businesses and everyday life, rather than viewing historical scenery solely through a camera lens. Visitors can explore traditional streets and discover regional food and cultural attractions as part of a broader Ningbo itinerary. Although a destination's suitability for a period drama does not establish that every scene was filmed there, Xikou provides a worthwhile extension for fans keen to explore the historical environments that make Chinese costume and Republican-era productions visually distinctive.
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is another destination associated with the production's broader location schedule. The city is internationally known for West Lake, its landscaped gardens, traditional bridges and cultural landmarks. These surroundings offer a softer visual contrast to the military residences and politically charged urban environments that define the drama's historical setting. West Lake is particularly appealing for visitors interested in scenic walks, traditional Chinese gardens and lakeside architecture.
The surrounding area also offers temples, historic streets and tea-growing landscapes, making it possible to combine cultural sightseeing with time outdoors. Hangzhou is well connected to other major destinations in Zhejiang, so it can fit naturally into a longer trip that includes Hengdian and Ningbo. For viewers inspired by the drama's atmosphere, the city provides an opportunity to experience another side of the region: one shaped by landscape, heritage and leisurely exploration rather than the tense negotiations and elaborate power struggles of television fiction.
The West Lake Scenic Area in Hangzhou is a particularly appealing stop for anyone who appreciates traditional Chinese landscapes. Its lakeside paths, bridges, pavilions and gardens have long made it one of the country's most recognisable destinations. The scenery offers a different mood from the tightly controlled streets and imposing residences associated with Republican-era storytelling, making it a useful contrast on a wider Zhejiang itinerary.
Travellers can walk along the lake, take a boat trip where services are operating, or explore the surrounding gardens and cultural sites. The area is popular, so visiting early can make the experience more relaxed, particularly during busy holiday periods. It is also an excellent reminder that the appeal of a filming-location trip need not depend on finding the exact patch of pavement seen in a scene. Sometimes the most rewarding part is discovering a place whose real character is every bit as memorable as its appearance on screen.
Ningbo's Tianyi Pavilion and surrounding historic district offer another cultural stop for travellers exploring Zhejiang. Tianyi Pavilion is celebrated for its history as a private library and its traditional architectural setting, while the wider city combines historic landmarks with a modern port-city identity. The destination suits visitors interested in Chinese heritage, traditional buildings and the cultural context behind period productions.
It can also provide a welcome change of pace after exploring large film studios, where the main attraction is often the scale of the sets rather than the history of the place itself. Travellers can combine a visit to the pavilion with time spent exploring Ningbo's streets and local food scene. Anyone planning to visit should check opening arrangements for individual attractions before setting off. A little planning is far less dramatic than arriving at a closed gate after travelling across the city.
The reported production schedule for The Lament of Autumn began with a booting ceremony on 31 October 2025 and concluded with filming reportedly wrapping on 23 March 2026. That timeline places principal photography across several months, allowing the production to create a period setting through a mixture of studio environments and location work.
The series is a Republican-era romantic melodrama adapted from the web novel Yu Dian Qiu by Ling Xi. It stars Cheng Lei as Yu Changxuan and Xu Ruohan as Ye Pingjun, with a story set against the political uncertainty of 1920s China. The drama follows a determined student whose circumstances bring her into the orbit of a powerful military figure, placing personal relationships alongside questions of influence, loyalty and survival. The production's reported locations help establish that historical world without requiring viewers to know the real-life history behind every building.
The series has been associated with Hunan TV, alongside streaming platforms Mango TV, iQIYI and Rakuten Viki. Its blend of romance, political intrigue and period aesthetics makes the setting an important part of its appeal. Grand residences establish the reach of powerful families, crowded streets suggest the pressures of urban life, and mountain landscapes provide a contrast to the political centres where decisions are made.
The reported locations also demonstrate how productions can combine purpose-built studio streets with established cities and natural scenery to create a consistent visual world. However, there is an important distinction between a filming base, a scenic area available to visitors and an exact location used for a particular scene. Individual shooting addresses are not always disclosed publicly, and access to active production facilities can be restricted. Anyone planning a visit should check the relevant site's current visitor information rather than assume every set or building is open to the public.
In my view, the most appealing part of following The Lament of Autumn across China is the chance to see how different environments contribute to a historical drama's atmosphere. Hengdian is the obvious starting point for fans who want to explore elaborate period sets, while Shanghai offers a blend of cinematic streets and urban heritage. Tianjin stands out for its imposing architecture, and Zhejiang's mountain scenery provides a completely different kind of escape.
The best itinerary would combine these experiences rather than attempt to visit every destination in a frantic race against the clock. China is vast, and travelling between several provinces requires realistic planning, even when your enthusiasm is doing most of the driving. I would prioritise Hengdian, Shanghai and one destination in Zhejiang before adding Tianjin if time allows. That approach leaves room to enjoy the places themselves instead of spending the entire holiday staring at transport timetables. After all, this is meant to be a memorable trip, not a military campaign worthy of Yu Changxuan.
Ultimately, The Lament of Autumn's filming locations offer plenty of inspiration for a China travel bucket list, from Hengdian's cinematic streets to Tianjin's historic mansions and the forests of Siming Mountain. The exact locations of every scene may not be publicly available, but the destinations discussed here provide a starting point for exploring the architecture, landscapes and cultural heritage associated with the series' visual world.
If you are planning a visit, research transport connections, opening times and access restrictions before deciding which places to include. And now we want to hear from you: which filming location would you visit first — Hengdian's period streets, Shanghai's vintage film park, Tianjin's grand avenues or Zhejiang's mountain scenery? Share your favourite in the comments, and let us know if there is another destination you would love to see included in a future The Lament of Autumn filming-location guide.