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Shenyang
is the capital of Liaoning Province, about 500 miles north of Beijing.
The city used to be known as Mukden, a name used by the Tartar people
who once ruled the area. It has a history of more than 3,000 years. When
the Manchurians
seized Beijing in 1644 and established the Qing dynasty with
Beijing as its capital, Mukden became its secondary capital and
remained so far 350 years. Today Shenyang is one of China's major
industrial centers thanks to the rich deposits of coal, iron ore and
nonferrous ore throughout Liaoning Province.
The Imperial Palace in
Shenyang is now a museum, displaying historical artifacts of the
Qing Dynasty. At one time it served as the Imperial Palace of Emperors
Nu Er Ha Chi and Huang Tai Ji. It covers an area of 15 acres, with 300
rooms in 70 buildings, dispersed in a dozen courtyards. The
Palace is the best preserved cluster of imperial structures in
the country next only to the Forbidden City in Beijing. Resembling the
latter in style and layout, it is characterized by the combination
of architectural styles of Man and Han nationalities.
The Bei Ling Northern
Imperial Tomb
to the north of Shenyang was built in 1643. Covering an
area of 1,113 acres, it is where Emperor Shunzhi's father, Huang
Tai Ji, and mother, Bo Er Ji Ji, were buried. Once the exclusive domain
of the Imperial family of the Qing Dynasty, it is now a magnificent
public park.
To the east, the Dong
Ling (Eastern Imperial Tomb) is where the first emperor of the Qing
Dynasty, Nu Er Ha Chi, and his wife were buried. The grounds are
pleasant and attractive, with flowers, shrubs, and many ancient trees.
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