Chaoshan Film Travel: Following Big Screen Locations Through Guangdong
Chaoshan Film Travel: Following Big Screen Locations Through Guangdong
The Chaoshan region — comprising Chaozhou, Shantou, and Jieyang in eastern Guangdong — is one of China's most culturally distinctive areas. Home to the Teochew people (who make up the majority of Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia), Chaoshan offers a unique blend of ancient architecture, unparalleled street food, and a film-friendly atmosphere that has attracted directors for decades. This guide takes you through the region's most photogenic film locations and the iconic Teochew dishes featured on screen.
Chaozhou: 1,600-Year-Old Cultural Capital
Chaozhou's old town (free entry) features over 1,000 Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings concentrated in a 2 km² area — one of the highest densities of historic architecture in China. The Guangji Bridge (广济桥, ¥20) is China's only movable-beam bridge, built in 1171 AD, with 18 boats connecting the center section that open to allow river traffic. Featured in the film The Founding of a Republic (2009). The bridge's opening ceremony (9:00 AM daily) attracts photographers from around the world.
Essential Teochew Food Tour
Chaoshan is where Teochew cuisine — one of China's four great culinary traditions — originates. Must-eat dishes: (1) Teochew beef hotpot (潮汕牛肉火锅) — fresh beef sliced table-side, boiled in clear broth for exactly 8 seconds. Best at Baxi Beef (八合里), ¥60-90/person. (2) Goose slices (卤鹅) — braised in a 12-spice soy marinade for 3 hours. (3) Oyster omelette (蚝烙) — crispy egg, fresh oysters, fish sauce. (4) Sweet potato soup (甜汤) — silky dessert soup with taro and ginkgo nuts. Recommended food walk: Start at Paifang Street (牌坊街, Chaozhou) for snacks, then taxi to Shantou's Laoshi Night Market for dinner. Budget: ¥80-120 for a full food crawl.
