Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion

Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion

Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion, originally known as “Horqin Banner’s Fifth Prefectural Mansion,” was elevated in status in 1855 when the renowned patriotic general and the tenth Jasagh Prince of the banner, Senggelinqin, was promoted to prince by the Qing court due to his outstanding military achievements. He was granted the title “Bodolgaote.” Thereafter, the name of the banner was also changed to “Bodolgaote Prince Banner,” abbreviated as “Bo Wang Banner,” and the mansion was renamed Bo Wang Mansion. It was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1740). The mansion complex is square-shaped, covering an area of approximately 40,000 square meters. Today, only the precious five-room main hall and nine-room rear storage building of Bo Wang Mansion remain.

Senggelinqin, of Mongolian ethnicity and from the Borjigit clan, was born in 1811 during the 16th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, into an ordinary noble (taiji) family in Baixingtugeer Village, Harage Sumu, Horqin Left Rear Banner, Inner Mongolia. His father, Buhedelger, historically referred to as Biqi, was from Bayan Hag Village, Jilgalang Town, and came from a poor family. In July of the fifth year of the Daoguang reign (1825), the ninth-generation Jasagh Prince of Horqin Left Rear Banner in Jirem League, Sodnamdorji, suddenly passed away. As the prince had no heir, by imperial decree, a successor was to be chosen from among the young relatives of the Sodnamdorji family. Although only fifteen years old, Senggelinqin’s noble Mongolian lineage secured his selection as the heroic youth destined for greatness. The Daoguang Emperor chose him to be the adopted son of Prince Sodnamdorji. Moreover, the wife of Prince Sodnamdorji was the daughter of the Daoguang Emperor, making Senggelinqin his maternal nephew, which earned him the emperor’s special favor. Senggelinqin was known for his loyalty, maintaining the distinctive traits of the Horqin people—faithfulness, straightforwardness, honesty, and warmth. Before being chosen as heir, Senggelinqin had studied for three years at Changtu Wenchang Palace. He was intelligent and ambitious by nature. In the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign (1855), Senggelinqin was promoted to prince and later granted the title Bo Wang. Bo Wang Mansion was then constructed. He was further elevated to the rank of marshal, ranking first among the four great marshals of the late Qing Dynasty. The other three were Zuo Zongtang, Zeng Guofan, and Li Hongzhang.

Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion was the residence of the patriotic general Senggelinqin during the Qing Dynasty and provides significant historical facts and materials for the study of China’s resistance against foreign aggression. The mansion features a unique architectural style with protruding front corridors, upturned eaves, carved beams, and painted rafters, representing a perfect fusion of northern and central Chinese architectural art. It serves as important physical evidence for the study of Qing Dynasty architecture. Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion is a symbol of northern grassland civilization and a highly representative cultural heritage reflecting the integration of Han, Mongolian, and Manchu cultures.

In May 2006, Prince Senggelinqin’s Mansion, as a historical building from the Qing Dynasty, was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units