Prince Chun Mansion

　　Destination Introduction
　　The Prince Chun Mansion is situated on the north bank of Houhai in Xicheng District. It was bestowed in the 14th year of the Guangxu reign (1888) of the Qing Dynasty to Yixuan, the seventh son of Emperor Daoguang and father of Emperor Guangxu, as his new princely residence. Since the original Prince Chun Mansion (the Southern Mansion, now located at Dongli, Taipinghu, Xicheng District) was the birthplace of Emperor Guangxu, it was, according to Qing regulations, elevated to the status of a palace. Therefore, this new residence was granted and also came to be known as the Northern Mansion.

　　　　The mansion faces south and features a vast layout, divisible into two main parts: the western section is the princely garden (now the former residence of Soong Ching-ling), while the eastern section is the main body of the mansion itself. It is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Xicheng District.

　　　　The eastern part is divided into three routes: east, central, and west. The central route constitutes the main architectural complex. From south to north, there is a five-bay street gate. Upon entering the outer courtyard, there is a second gate, which serves as the official front gate of the mansion, also five bays wide. Beyond this lies the main hall, the Yin’an Hall, five bays in width, flanked by five-bay wing rooms on the east and west. Behind the main hall is a self-contained courtyard complex, accessible through a three-bay passageway. The front features a five-bay main room and auxiliary rooms, which, according to regulations, would have served as the rear sleeping quarters. At the very rear is the rear enclosing building, nine bays wide, used for ceremonies during various celebrations. The rear sleeping quarters were repurposed as a shrine for deities, Buddhas, and ancestors. The eastern route mainly consists of family shrines, Buddhist halls, and some auxiliary buildings. The courtyard outside the eastern wall served as the mansion’s stable area. The western route contains two parallel courtyard complexes, which were the activity centers of the Prince Chun Mansion. The main structure is the Baohan Hall, also known as the Grand Study. The courtyard behind it features a main hall called the Jiusi Hall, which was the residence of the lady of the house, followed by the Siqian Hall, the living quarters of the princess consort. There is also the Renzhen Hall, a smaller study for the princes’ education, along with other auxiliary structures. The Southern Mansion is located at Dongli, Taipinghu, Xicheng District, and was originally the residence of the Rong Prince. The mansion faces south and is divided into a central route, eastern and western routes, and a garden. Currently, the central route includes a three-bay mansion gate, flanked by bat-wing shaped screens, with inner east and west gates leading to the respective courtyards. A newly built auditorium exists in the central route, alongside a preserved two-courtyard siheyuan. The eastern courtyard is relatively well-preserved, while most of the ancient structures in the western courtyard have been demolished.

　　　　After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, large-scale renovations were carried out on the Prince Chun Mansion, making it the best-preserved princely mansion in Beijing.

　　　　Location: Located on the north bank of Houhai in Xicheng District

　　　　Area: 8,848 square meters   Transportation Information
　　Transportation: Take bus No. 5 or 819 to Guozishi, then walk south along Houhai Alley.

　　 Xicheng District, Beijing

The Prince Chun Mansion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.