Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace

Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace

The Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace was first built in the 47th year of the Qianlong reign (1782) under imperial decree by De Fu, an official of Shengjing. It is located in present-day Xia Yuan Village, 2.5 kilometers from the Qing Yong Tomb and 25 kilometers from the county seat. The entire architectural complex consists of 81 palace rooms.

During the Qing Dynasty, emperors’ eastern tours to worship at ancestral tombs were a significant element of their feudal political activities, and the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace served as the lodging place for Qing emperors during these eastern pilgrimages.

Nestled against mountains and facing water, the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace boasts picturesque scenery. Initially expanded for the third eastern tour of Aisin Gioro Hongli (Emperor Qianlong), the entire palace complex spans over a hundred acres and mainly includes structures such as Fusu Hall, Shunxuan Studio, the Mirror Hall, the Princes’ Quarters, and the Beaded Archway. Though constructed with grey bricks and tiles, the buildings feature exquisite craftsmanship, with interlocking components, soaring upturned eaves, bracket sets, and carved beams painted with intricate designs. The complex is enclosed by red walls, showcasing distinct Manchu architectural features.

The 81 rooms of the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace were laid out according to the auspicious pattern of “Five Blessings and Square Longevity.” All passageways within the palace follow a five-tiered step design. The ridges of the buildings are adorned with single beast ridge ornaments and coiling dragon ridgelines. “Blessing” and “Longevity” are auspicious terms consistently used by emperors throughout the dynasties. Starting from Aisin Gioro Xuanye’s assumption of power, he would choose an auspicious day to personally write the character “Blessing” to bestow upon his ministers. The sandalwood brush box he used was inscribed by Emperor Qianlong: “Gather the Five Blessings, bestow them upon the people, may descendants preserve them for ten thousand autumns and a thousand springs.” Regarding the “Five Blessings,” the “Book of Documents · Hongfan Chapter” records: “The Five Blessings refer to the five virtuous energies: longevity, wealth, health and peace, love of virtue, and a peaceful death.”

Since the expansion of the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace was carried out after the promulgation of the Qing Dynasty’s “Ministry of Works Construction Standards and Regulations,” its architectural style and specifications were subject to certain restrictions. Rain shelters were installed at the front and rear of each hall, as evidenced by the setup of two “Princes’ Quarters.” In the ninth year of the Daoguang reign (1800), Zuo Ling Haifu’ershan submitted a detailed report on the number of rain shelter frames during the repair of the Xiayuan Temporary Imperial Palace: “At the palace, there are 3 rain shelter frames at the front gate; at Fusu Hall, 5 in the front and 4 at the rear; at Shunxuan Studio, 5 in the front and 4 at the rear; at the Mirror Hall, 7 in the front and 7 at the rear; at the front Princes’ Quarters, 3 in the front and 1 at the rear; at the rear Princes’ Quarters, 1 in the front and 1 at the rear. ... Totaling 43 rain shelter frames.” The installation of rain shelters in Qing-era architecture in Xingjing is rarely recorded in historical materials. This reflects that after the Yongzheng era, official buildings were strictly constrained by the “Ministry of Works Construction Standards and Regulations.”

To cultivate qualified successors, the Qing ruling class established a mystical “Heir Apparent” system. Xuanye once remarked: “Since ancient times, emperors who succeeded Heaven and ruled the realm must establish a primary heir to elevate the foundation of the state, thereby extending the boundless prosperity of the royal lineage.” Training the eldest prince was a crucial national policy to “ensure dynastic continuity for ten thousand years” and “unite the hearts of the people.” The eldest prince could participate in certain state affairs and even perform important rituals on behalf of the emperor. The establishment of the Princes’ Quarters at the Xiayuan Temporary Imperial Palace also serves as evidence of how successive Qing emperors used eastern tours and ancestral worship for political purposes.

As the lodging place for Qing emperors during their eastern tours to ancestral tombs, the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace housed a large collection of antiques, paintings, jewelry, and jade artifacts. With each imperial visit, the collection grew. Just from one inventory list in the Internal Affairs Office archives titled “Xiayuan Furnishings,” one can get a glimpse of the treasures. It reads: “The furnishings of the Yong Tomb Temporary Imperial Palace have been inspected, handed over, and recorded by the Internal Affairs Office. The total number of items including jade ruyi tables and others amounts to 111 pieces.”

Because the Xiayuan Temporary Imperial Palace was located adjacent to the Yong Tomb, it came under the jurisdiction of the Shengjing Internal Affairs Office from the start of its expansion. Three officials, including a Zuo Ling and a Defender, along with 40 soldiers, were assigned to guard it, rotating monthly. A dedicated agency was established for its protection, with annual maintenance carried out. In the seventh year of the Xianfeng reign (1857), the Qing government undertook the final renovation of the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace. After that, as the feudal rule of the Qing Dynasty faced internal and external crises and declined, no further resources could be allocated for repairs. In the 14th year of the Guangxu reign (1888), the Sushuhu River flooded, submerging half of the palace, though the area inside the Beaded Archway remained intact. In the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (1900), when Russian troops invaded the Northeast, the precious relics, antiques, and gold and silver utensils inside the palace were looted. By the 30th year of the Guangxu reign (1904), with the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, the Xinbin area became a battlefield, and the palace suffered further destruction. Russian troops not only used the Xia Yuan Temporary Imperial Palace as a barracks but also set it ablaze before fleeing, leaving nothing of the palace remaining.

Source: Website of the Xinbin County People's Government