Home / Parks
The Prince Gong's Mansion, the best preserved of the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911) princely mansions, represents half the history of the Qing Dynasty, and exemplifies the rich and splendid culture of Qing princes' mansions.
|
 Tourists visit Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing. [China Daily] |
Prince Gong (1833-98), a son of Emperor Daoguang, was a key minister in the governments of three successive Qing emperors and an advocate of a modernized imperial foreign policy.
The mansion's gardens opened to visitors in 1988.
The complex comprises five rows of courtyards in three columns, and covers an area of some 60,000 sq m.
Prior to Prince Gong, the mansion was occupied by powerful Qing minister Heshen, a favorite of Emperor Qianlong and notoriously corrupt.
His amassed wealth, equivalent to 12 years' financial revenues during Emperor Qianlong's reign, the most developed country in the world then, would be equivalent to 360 billion yuan ($52.5 billion) today.
Based on that, the Wall Street Journal rated Heshen in 2001 as one of the world's 50 wealthiest people over the past millennium.
The mansion was made a State Protected Historic Site in 1982.
Admission: 20 yuan; 60 yuan (including a guide and an acrobatic performance)
Open hours: 8:30-17:00
Tel: 010-66116053
Add: A14, Liuyin Street, Xicheng District
Traffic: Take Trolley Bus 111, 107, 108 or bus 13, 701, 823, and get off at Beihai Houmen stop.
