Located in north western section of Beijing proper, the Prince Gong's Mansion is famous as being the largest, most extravagant, and best preserved imperial mansion in China. The sprawling compound is incredibly ornate and is home to a number of traditional Chinese gardens.
History
Originally built in 1777 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) for He Shen, a very controversial minister who was a favorite of the Emperor Qianlong, the mansion was built utilizing the best materials by the best craftsman in China and many aspects of the compound rival those of the Emperors. He Shen became the richest person in China and had almost unlimited power. He was put in charge of the Board of Revenue and basically had control of the empire's entire money supply. After Emperor Qianlong's death, He Shen was accused of corruption and was ordered to commit suicide by Emperor Jiaqing. The mansion was then given to Prince Qing Junwang, the youngest son of Emperor Qianlong. In 1851, the mansion was given to Prince Gong by Emperor Xianfeng. It was after this prince whom the mansion is currently named. It remained in possession of Prince Gong's descendents until 1921, when Prince Gong's grandson lost the mansion to the Catholic Church due to failure to repay a mortgage loan. The Furen Catholic University then purchased the mansion and used it as their campus until the Beijing Normal University bought the property. In the 1960s, during the cultural revolution, the mansion was used as an air conditioning factory. In the early 1980’s, the mansion was listed on the Chinese National Cultural Heritage List and was opened to the public. In 1996, it was announced that a multi million RMB restoration would begin and in 2008, the mansion was reopened to the public. The restoration is ongoing and will not be finished for many more years.
Layout
The mansion compound, which is one of the most exquisite ever built, occupies an area of over 60,000 square meters. The residential buildings, located in the south of the compound, are built in the traditional Beijing quadrangle style with four buildings surrounding an open courtyard. Many quadrangles are placed together. The residential area has three main sections with the central portion housing the halls used for meeting guests, eating, and studios. The eastern and western sections are home to the living quarters. The Xijin Studio was crafted of sandalwood and nanmu wood and is very similar to the Ningshou Palace located in The Forbidden City and equal to it in quality and opulence.
The mansion's garden, which was exquisitely built and rivals any found in Beijing, is surrounded by rockeries. The garden is located in the north of the mansion compound and occupies an area of 28,000 square meters. The garden has 20 unique scenic spots including mountains, ponds, caves, pavilions, and a Beijing (Peking) Opera stage. . The centerpiece of the garden is an 8 meter tall stele which has the Chinese calligraphy character for luck, written by Emperor Kangxi, carved on it.
The mansion is not as well known as Beijing's other sites, so it less crowded. Beijing (Peking) Opera is performed daily on the mansion’s opera stage adding to the already incredible atmosphere of the mansion. In the garden’s Bat hall, a teahouse has been built and it is a wonderful place to sip tea and enjoy the beauty of the garden.
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 - Feb 18,2017, 08:32 AM
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