One of the six eastern palaces in the Forbidden City, this was a residence of imperial concubines. Emperor Kangxi, most exalted of the Qing emperors (or any other dynasty), was born here in 1654. His prosperous reign lasted 61 years.
Palace of Great Benevolence
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Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
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Nearby attractions
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One of the six eastern palaces, this dates from 1420, and was used as a residence of imperial concubines. Today it houses a museum displaying a range of…
2. Palace of Prolonging Happiness
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The most unique of the Forbidden City's six eastern palaces, the Palace of Prolonging Happiness features an unfinished 20th-century Western-style building…
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Built in 1420, this palace has been the residence of numerous empresses, imperial concubines and consorts. It's one of the six eastern palaces in the…
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This hall was the principal residence of the emperor in the Ming and early Qing dynasties, where the son of heaven slept and worked. Later in the Qing…
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The middle of the three outer halls, the Hall of Union was the place for the empress to receive greetings from her high-ranking subjects during major…
6. Palace of Accumulated Purity
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One of the Forbidden City's six eastern palaces, this is notable for being the former residence of the young Xianfeng Emperor, who lived here with his mum.
7. Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
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This palace was originally the residence of the empress, and in later times became the imperial couple’s bridal chamber (they only spent the first two…
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The northeasternmost of the six eastern palaces of the Forbidden City, it started out as a residence for concubines, and later became a library.