Place to Go

Prince Mansions

(china.org.cn)
Updated: 2009-09-23 10:19

Countless princes’ mansions were built in Beijing from the time of Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. Those of the eight great families of the early Qing and four mansions built in the post- Emperor Tongzhi period (reigned 1862-1874) is described briefly. The mansions of Prince Chun and Prince Gong are introduced in greater detail.

With the exception of Prince Qing’s Mansion, bestowed upon Yi Kuang, the princes’ mansions are all built on the same basic model and constructed from the finest carved bricks, stone and timber.

Although some freedom was allowed in the construction of the auxiliary wing sections, the buildings around the central axis were all built to specification. Each mansion has a main gate three jian wide with a raised entrance way, and smaller gates to the east and west. Before the main gate there are stone lions and horses, lantern poles and hitching posts. Immediately inside the entrance to the sides are two three-jian halls, beyond which is a three-or five-jian Silver Peace Hall. From here a paved path leads to the second gate. Inside the second gate there are again three -jian halls to the east and west and in the eastern part of the courtyard a “Column to the Ancestors.” Pig entrails were placed in a vessel on the top pf this column when sacrifices were carried out. Directly north lies the five-jian Spirit Hall.

In the northeast corner of the central courtyard stands the family temple. To the west is a Clinic of Good Fortune, where the servants-women, eunuchs and guards-were sent when seriously ill, though their funerals were not permitted to be held here-this privilege being reserved for concubines and their offspring.

The following are Qing Dynasty mansions:

1. Prince Li’s Mansion in Jiangfang Hutong, Dongxie Street, to the south of Xi’ anmen. Just after the founding of the People’s Republic, the Ministry of Interior Affairs had its office here.

2. Prince Rui’ s Mansion, built in the early Qing Dynasty is the site of the Nanchizi Primary School. Under the Ming, the Hongqing Palace was situated here, and in 1650, under Emperor Shunzhi, the mansion was pulled down and rebuilt as the Magala Temple. Qianlong renamed it the Pudu Temple in 1776, and in 1778, a new mansion was built for Chun Ying, the fifth generation descendant of Dorgun. The mansion was turned into the Datong Middle School before the founding of the People’s Republic, and because the Beijing No.24 Middle School after 1949. It is now divided into two schools, the Foreign Ministry Road (Wajiaobujie) Middle School and the No. 24 Middle School.

3. Prince Yu’s Mansion in the Third Western Lane at Dongdan is now the sits of the Peking Hospital (formerly the Peiping Union Medical College).

4. Prince Su’s Mansion was formerly situated in Dongjiaomin Lane but after the signing of the Treaty of 1901, the area became legation property and was the site of the British Army barracks. The mansion was moved to the northern end of Nanchuanban Lane in Beixinqiao.

5. Prince Zheng’s Mansion, in Erlong (Two Dragon) Road in Xidan, was formerly China University and is now part of the State Education Commission.

6. Prince Zhuang’s Mansion is located in Xitaipingcang in Ping’anli.

7. Prince Shuncheng’s (junwang) Mansion, on Peace Bridge Road (Taiping Dajie) in the West City District, serves as the offices of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In 1924, the mansion became the property of Zhang Zuolin.

8. Prince Keqin’s (junwang) Mansion on new Culture Road in Xuanwumennei is now the New Culture Road Second Primary School. Although the mansion is not large, it is exquisitely constructed. The main halls of the front and central courtyards are five jian each; the main hall in the rear courtyard measures seven.

The eight princes listed above were Eight Great Families of the early Qing. According to Qing convention, a son inherited a title one rank below that of his father. Thus, a prince of the first rank’s (qinwang) son would become a junwang and the later’ s son would become a beile-the rank below junwang. The only exception to this rule were the nobles who had given special service such as the eight “Iron Capped”noblemen who had helped to establish Qing rule.