Prince Ding’s Mansion

　　Prince Ding’s Mansion in Beijing is situated east of Gangwashi on South Xisi Street and south of Banshang Hutong. The entire estate covers over 40 acres. Its western wall lies in the area now known as ‘Shaguoju,’ extending east to the site of the Jiusan Society, with over 400 rooms. The mansion housed administrative offices such as the Steward’s Office, Purchasing Office, Estate Office, Attendants Office, and Affairs Office, responsible for managing finances, collecting land rents, and attending to attendants. The Jiusan Society’s office building is the only remaining part of the original mansion.

　　The estate was originally the residence of Prince Xun.

　　The first prince enfeoffed was Yonghuang, the eldest son of Emperor Gaozong. After Yonghuang passed away in the 15th year of the Qianlong era (1750), he was posthumously honored as Prince Ding, and his son Miande inherited the title. During the Qianlong era, the former Prince Xun’s Mansion was rebuilt as Prince Ding’s Mansion. The estate roughly spanned: from Yangpishi Hutong in the south to Banshang Hutong in the north, from the area of ‘Shaguoju’ Restaurant in the west to the site of the Jiusan Society in the east. It covered approximately 27,000 square meters with over 400 rooms. The central axis structures included a palace gate with three bays, the Yinan Hall with five bays, a small hall with three bays, a shrine hall with five bays, and a rear building with five bays on both upper and lower floors. The eastern section was originally a garden but was later converted into a three-courtyard complex with a row of northern rooms. The ancient buildings currently within the Jiusan Society compound are believed to be remnants of the former mansion.

　　It is said that before the year 1900, Prince Ding Puyu installed a safe but forgot the password and could not open it, rendering the safe useless. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, fearing that this foreign item would be used as evidence of being a “secondary foreigner,” he had it buried in the garden. After the Eight-Nation Alliance occupied Beijing, the residents of the mansion fled to their ancestral tombs in Changping for safety. French occupation troops, hearing rumors of treasures buried in the garden, sent people to dig—and unearthed the safe. Unable to open it, they resorted to using dynamite. Upon blowing it open, they found nothing inside and were greatly disappointed.

　　In 1928, Prince Ding’s Mansion was sold for 150,000 through Ding Jiqian, a comprador of the Banque Sino-Belge (Huabi Bank), who then demolished the western courtyard and central axis of the mansion. Due to rumors that the mansion was haunted, they specifically hired another ethnic minority worker to carry out the demolition. During the process, many snakes were discovered. These snakes were taken to the ancestral shrine of the mansion and quickly slithered away. The press at the time sensationalized and extensively reported on the incident.

　　Aisin-Gioro Yonghuang (1728~1750)　　Aisin-Gioro Yonghuang (July 5, 1728 – April 21, 1750) was the eldest son of Emperor Qianlong. His birth mother was the Noble Consort Zhuangshun, Lady Fuca. He was born on the 28th day of the fifth month in the sixth year of the Yongzheng era. In the 13th year of Qianlong’s reign, he was reprimanded by the emperor for failing to observe proper etiquette and subsequently fell out of favor. In March of the 15th year of Qianlong’s reign, he passed away. He was posthumously honored as Prince Ding, with the posthumous name “An.” Biography In the 13th year of Qianlong’s reign (1748), the emperor made a southern tour. On his return and stopover in Dezhou, Empress Xiaoxianchun passed away. Yonghuang, as the eldest son, was tasked with receiving the funeral procession. However, during the ceremony, he and his third younger brother Yongzhang did not display sufficient sorrow. The emperor criticized them for acting improperly and lacking proper etiquette... Details+