Prince Gongs Mansion
>Only the emperor and his immediate family members were qualified to live in the
Forbidden City
, so many relatives of the emperor established their own mansions. Today, in Beijing, there are over 60 princes' mansions from Qing Dynasty - among them, Prince Gong's Mansion is the most ostentatious and well preserved. When it was built, Prince Gong's Mansion was the largest dwelling in the world. Prince Gong's Mansion, located in the northwest corner of Shichahai, hosts a typicalPrince Garden
. Its name is Cuijing Garden, which occupies 30,000 square meters. Symmetrical measures are thoroughly employed in this Garden.
It was once the mansion of Hesheng, who's famous as the most-corrupt official in Chinese history. Later it was presented to Prince Gong as a gift from the government. Hesheng was spoiled by Emperor Qian Long. No matter how many mistakes he made, the emperor would always favor him. As the story goes, the emperor spoiled Hesheng because he believed him to be the reincarnation of a former concubine. This concubine was hanged for testifying her loyalty and honesty, a mistake the emperor regretted miserably. Her death haunted the Emperor and he vowed to forgive her for all mistakes if he could only just see her in the next life. He painted a red dot on her forehead so that he could recognize her in the future. Several years after her death, Emperor Qian Long saw a man with a red dot on his forehead, Hesheng, and lavished him with all the blessings he could muster.
The east, south, and west ends of the garden are surrounded by hills. The landscape in garden is delicate and beautiful. It is the most treasured and protected mansion in China. Some experts and scholars believe this mansion is the place which inspired the great Chinese novelist Cao Xueqin to write Dreams of Red Chambers, one of the four most famous books in Chinese literature.
The area of Prince Gong's Mansion is divided by three roads, creating an eastern area, a middle area and a western area. The center of the mansion is in the middle area, consisting of the great hall, the back hall, and the extended buildings. The length of the extended buildings is up to 160 meters, and the mansion is constituted of more than forty houses. The last part of the mansion is made up of gardens : more than 10 scenic spots, totally distinct from one another, can be found on the complex.
Prince Gong's Mansion
is surrounded by local architecture, known as Hutong, and is difficult for newcomers to find because the houses around it look very similar. Walking along the street, we could wander for hours and not find it. This part of the city is very popular among foreign visitors, because creative clubs and cafes abound here. Jazz and rock music can be heard at night. With beautiful architecture, shops, cafes, and small parks, many people would rather walk here than drive. Relaxation and amusement are easily found. Chinese traditional buildings mix with western culture, giving a truly unique feeling.
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