Shenyang Ancient Fangcheng

Shenyang Ancient Fangcheng

The past and present of Shenyang Ancient Fangcheng represent a long river of history in the hearts of Shenyang residents. It serves as a mirror reflecting the political, economic, and cultural development of the Shenyang region, and as we step into the 21st century, it is bound to showcase a new era of vitality.

Shenyang Ancient Fangcheng has existed for 2,300 years. It stretches 1.5 kilometers from east to west and 1.5 kilometers from north to south. This area corresponds to what is today enclosed within Dongshuncheng, Nanshuncheng, Xishuncheng, and Beishuncheng. In 928 AD, the Liao Dynasty built an earthen city here. In 1388, the Ming Dynasty reconstructed the earthen city into a brick one, with a central cross street laid out inside. In 1625, Nurhaci moved the capital to Shenyang and named it Shengjing. He carried out a major redesign and extensive reconstruction of the city, changing the original four city gates (one on each side) and corresponding cross streets into two gates on each side and a grid-like street layout. Additionally, a bell tower and a drum tower were erected at the intersection of roads in the northern part of the city, standing tall across the streets. The city walls and gate towers were also renovated. During the Kangxi era, eight side gates were added to the outer city, establishing the “eight gates and eight barriers” urban layout. This transformation made Shenyang the most complete and magnificent city in the Northeast region for the following two to three hundred years. Shortly after moving the capital to Shenyang, Nurhaci began constructing palaces within the city, which were completed and put into use during the reign of Hong Taiji. After the Qing entered the Pass, Shengjing was honored as the auxiliary capital of the nation. Not only were the Forbidden City properly preserved and maintained, but during the Qianlong era, dozens of new structures such as imperial palaces and the Wensu Pavilion were also added around it. This established the Shenyang Imperial Palace as a complete architectural complex consisting of three parallel routes (east, central, and west) with architecture from early, middle, and late periods coexisting. It gained worldwide renown for its well-preserved Manchu palace architectural features. In addition, the Fuling Tomb of Qing Taizu and the Zhaoling Tomb of Qing Taizong, located in the eastern and northern suburbs of Shenyang, echo the palaces from afar, together forming the unique character of the early Qing capital. Temples, pagodas, and Taoist shrines are scattered throughout the city. To the south lies Ci'en Temple, to the north are Chang’an Temple and Taiqing Palace, while Catholic churches and Islamic mosques can be found in the surrounding areas. Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Catholicism all have their own domains and followers. At the northern gate of the Forbidden City within the ancient city stands the Central Temple, which served as the central reference point of Shenyang’s ancient city. The entire city of Shenyang expanded outward from this axis in all directions. Since modern times, the trend of establishing schools has flourished, with Confucian temples’ educational institutions, noble family schools, and modern Western-style schools coexisting and evolving in competition, reflecting the cultural trends of different eras. Since ancient times, Shenyang has been a melting pot where the cultures of various ethnic groups converged. Its urban folklore features the distinctive character of the Guandong region while also showcasing the customs of multiple ethnic groups, including Han, Manchu, Mongolian, and Hui. These traditions continue to blend with the trends of the times.