Historic Site

Shenyang Imperial Palace

Shenyang Imperial Palace is the most ancient imperial architectural complex of the Qing Dynasty next only to the Forbidden City in Beijing in historical and artistic value. Shenyang Imperial Palace, also called Shengjing Imperial Palace, was first built in 1625 by Nurhachi (1559-1626), the Manchu chieftain who became the first king of the Jin State (established 1616), and excessively extended by Huangtaiji (1592-1643), his son and successor before they brought all China under their rule and established the Qing Dynasty.

It was renamed Co-Capital Palace and Emperor Eastward Inspection Palace after the foundation of the Qing Dynasty. Having undergone many large-scale restorations, the imperial palace now serves as a tourist attraction called Shenyang Imperial Palace Museum. The Imperial Palace in Beijing and Shenyang are the two most well-preserved imperial complexes existing in China today.                                                 

Zhaoling Tomb

Zhaoling Tomb, the tomb of Hongtaiji and his wife, Xiaoduanwen Queen, is a Key Cultural Relic Unit under State Protection.

Zhaoling Tomb, also called North Tomb due to its location in the north of Shenyang, enjoys equal fame with Fu Tomb and Yong Tomb. All these tombs are jointly called three imperial tombs outside Shanhaiguan. However, Zhaoling Tomb is much beyond the other two in terms of scale and layout.

Zhaoling Tomb is the largest park in Shenyang City, covering an area of 330 hectares. In the eighth year of Chongde in Qing Dynasty, the tomb of Huangtaiji and his wife Bo'erjijite was completed. In 1927, Zhaoling Tomb was authorized to be a park by Fengtian government, and got the name of North Tomb. As one of tourist attractions and historic sites in Shenyang, Zhaoling Tomb is the essence of China's ancient architectures, and also the representative of cultural communication between Manchus and Han nationalities.

Fuling Tomb (East Tomb)

It is also called East Tomb due to its location on 11 kilometers above Mt. Tianzhu in the northeast of Shenyang. It is jointly called three imperial tombs outside Shanhaiguan with Zhao Tomb in Shenyang and Yong Tomb in Xinbin.

Fuling Tomb was firstly built in the third year of Tianchong period, in 1629, with a history of more than 370 years. Initially, it was called Taizu Tomb and Former Han Tomb and was renamed as Fuling Tomb in the first year of Chongde, in 1636 when the Qing Dynasty was established. The name indicates the wish that Qing Dynasty would be permanent. In the eighth year of Emperor Shun Zhi's reign (1651), the second emperor of Qing Dynasty, Mt. Ling where the Fuling Tomb is located is conferred the title of Tianzhu, which was once called Mt. Stone Mouth (another saying is Mt. Dongmou of the kingdom of Bohai Sea), the branch of Mt. Changbai. This name implies that Fuling Tomb, like a great pillar erecting to the sky, sustains Qing Dynasty.

Source: chinatravel.com