Pursuit of Jade (逐玉) was primarily filmed at Hengdian World Studios (横店影视城) in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, China — the world's largest outdoor film studio complex. Hengdian spans over 330 hectares and features full-scale reproductions of historical Chinese settings from various dynasties. The drama utilized several of Hengdian's signature lots, but also ventured to natural locations across Zhejiang to capture the breathtaking landscapes that have become one of the show's visual hallmarks.
The primary filming location within Hengdian was the Ming and Qing Dynasty Palace complex, which served as the Dayin imperial court. This massive set features intricately detailed palace buildings, marble courtyards, and ceremonial halls that provided the backdrop for the drama's political scenes. The Marquis of Ningyang's residence was constructed as a custom set within Hengdian's "Noble Mansions" area — a section of the studio dedicated to aristocratic homes. The production reportedly spent three months building and dressing this set before filming began, filling it with period-appropriate furniture, calligraphy scrolls, and carefully selected props to create an atmosphere of faded grandeur that reflects Xie Zheng's declining household.
Beyond Hengdian, the production team traveled to several natural locations in Zhejiang Province. The mountainous scenes — including Xie Zheng's journey to Jinzhou — were filmed in the Xiandu Scenic Area (仙都风景区) near Lishui. This location, famous for its dramatic karst peaks rising from misty valleys, provided the otherworldly landscape visible in several key episodes. The bamboo forest sequences were shot in Anji County (安吉县), the same region where Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon filmed its iconic bamboo fight scene over two decades earlier. The dense bamboo groves of Anji create a distinctive green-filtered light that gives those scenes their ethereal quality.
The market and street scenes were filmed in two locations: Hengdian's "Qing Ming Shang He Tu" (清明上河图) set — a reproduction of the famous Song Dynasty scroll painting rendered as a walkable town — and the ancient town of Nanxun (南浔古镇) near Huzhou. Nanxun provided authentic water-town architecture, with its centuries-old stone bridges, canal-side residences, and narrow alleyways giving the market scenes a texture that would be difficult to replicate on a studio lot. Sharp-eyed viewers may notice the shift in visual quality between studio and location scenes.
For fans interested in visiting these locations, Hengdian World Studios is open to the public year-round and has become an increasingly popular tourist destination. Several of the Pursuit of Jade sets remain standing and have been incorporated into the studio's tour routes. The Xiandu Scenic Area and Nanxun Ancient Town are also accessible tourist destinations. Anji County, aside from its bamboo forests, is known as a tea-producing region — a fitting connection to the drama's frequent tea-drinking scenes. Travel from Shanghai to Hengdian takes approximately three to four hours by car, making a multi-day trip covering all filming locations a feasible itinerary for dedicated fans.