Prince Gong's estate is Beijing's best-preserved example of how the upper class lived during the Qing Dynasty. It consists of 31 pavilions, halls, and residential buildings, 9 courtyards, several arched bridges, large ponds with islands and swans, an immense rock garden in the classical style, and even its own private pagoda for gazing at the moon.
Prince Gong's brother was China's emperor from 1851 to 1861 and Gong served as regent for the next emperor along with Cixi, who would become the Empress Dowager. Gong's son, Pu Yi, became China's last emperor. Prince Gong moved into this palace estate in 1852, but its design originated more than a century earlier. The mansion has its own stage for outdoor performances of Peking Opera, a teahouse open to hutong tour groups, and a Sichuan restaurant open to the public. |
