Jingren Palace

　　Jingren Palace, one of the Eastern Six Palaces in the inner court, was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420), originally named Chang’an Palace. It was renamed Jingren Palace in the 14th year of the Jiajing reign (1535). The Qing Dynasty retained the Ming name, renovated it in the 12th year of the Shunzhi reign (1655), and carried out further repairs in the 15th year of the Daoguang reign (1835) and the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890).

　　The Jingren Gate is the main entrance to Jingren Palace, facing south. Inside the gate stands a stone screen wall, said to be a relic from the Yuan Dynasty.

　　Jingren Palace is the main hall of the front courtyard, with a width of five bays. It features a yellow-glazed tile hip-and-gable roof, with five decorative beasts on the roof corners and single-eave, single-ang roof brackets under the eaves. The hall is decorated with colorful paintings. The lower eaves feature bracket sets of the fifth rank with single upward and downward projections. The columns and architraves are painted in dark green. The central bay has a raised platform.

　　In the central bay of the main hall, there is an imperial plaque inscribed with “Praising Virtue in the Palace” written by Emperor Qianlong. The ceiling is adorned with a design of two dragons playing with a pearl, and the inner eaves are decorated with dragon-and-phoenix imperial seal paintings. The floor is paved with square bricks. In front of the hall is a spacious terrace.

　　On the east and west sides of the main hall of Jingren Palace are side halls, each with three bays. The central bays have doors, and the halls are topped with yellow-glazed tile flush gable roofs. The eaves are decorated with scrollwork paintings. Each side hall has wing rooms to the south and north. The rear courtyard has a main hall with five bays, the central bay with a door, topped with a yellow-glazed tile flush gable roof, and decorated with bracket sets under the eaves, featuring colorful paintings.

　　The side halls also have wing rooms to the south and north. In the southwest corner of the rear courtyard is a well pavilion. This palace retains the layout from its initial construction in the Ming Dynasty.

　　During the Ming Dynasty, Jingren Palace was the residence of imperial concubines. In March of the 11th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1654), Emperor Kangxi was born here. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), after the death of Fuquan, Prince Yu of the First Rank, Emperor Kangxi temporarily stayed here again to mourn his elder brother. Later, the palace continued to serve as the residence of imperial consorts. Empress Xiaoshengxian, the birth mother of Emperor Qianlong, Concubine Wan of Emperor Xianfeng, and Concubine Zhen of Emperor Guangxu all once lived here.

　　Empress Xiaoshengxian (1692–1777), of the Niuhuru clan, was born on November 5, 1692, and was a member of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner. She was the daughter of Ling Zhu, an official of the fourth rank.

　　At the age of thirteen, she entered the service of the Prince Yong’s residence and was known as “Gege,” or young lady of the prince. She was the Gege at the residence of Prince Yong, Yinzhen. In the 50th year of the Kangxi reign, she gave birth to Hongli, who later became Emperor Qianlong. In the first year of the Yongzheng reign, she was given the title of Consort Xi. In the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, she was elevated to Noble Consort Xi. In the 13th year of the Yongzheng reign, when her son Hongli (Emperor Qianlong) ascended the throne, she was honored as Empress Dowager and given the honorary title of Chongqing Empress Dowager. She passed away on March 2, 1777 (the 23rd day of the first lunar month in the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign) and was buried in the Tai Dong Tomb. Her posthumous title: Empress Xiaosheng Cixuan Kanghui Dunhe Chenghuirenmu Jing Tian Guangsheng Xian.

　　Empress Xiaosheng lived a life of luxury and prosperity. She had the longest lifespan among all Qing empress dowagers and her longevity was also rare among empress dowagers throughout Chinese history.

The Palace Museum

Zhongcui Palace

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Shenwu Gate

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Imperial Supremacy

Hall of Martial Valor

Palace of Earthly Tranquility

Palace of Heavenly Purity

Palace of Longevity and Health

Studio of the Three Rarities

Hall of Mental Cultivation

Palace of Longevity and Peace

Imperial Garden

Palace of Eternal Spring