Prince Gong's Mansion Treasure Trove Of Traditional Chinese Architecture

When touring the city of Beijing in China you cant help but admire its stunning skyline that snuggles some of the most innovative concepts

. Among them the most notable are the M shaped CCTV headquarters, the National Stadium resembling a birds nest and the capsule shaped National Grand Theatre.

As much as they strive towards innovation and futuristic concepts, China immensely treasures their traditional architectures. Beijing boasts many a great examples from the magnificent Forbidden City to spellbinding Temple of Heaven. Among them is a landmark renowned as Beijings biggest and well preserved residence compound. Teeming with extravagant ornate works and exuding traditional vibes this is the Prince Gongs Mansion of Beijing.

The mansion dates back to the glorious Qing Dynasty of China which spanned from 1644 to 1912. It is also known as Gong Wang Fu Museum and sits towards the north of Shichahai Lake and west of central Beijing. You could also reach it from the Forbidden City by going northwest. For those who are studying architecture and for those who are simply curious, this is an attraction you simply cannot miss. And the reason is simple, as Prince Gongs Mansion stands today as an epitome of traditional Chinese architecture.

The mansion was originally built in 1777 as the residence of Heshen, a young imperial guard who misused his powers to gain more and more wealth. Emperor Jiaqing confiscated Heshens property and wealth and gifted this enchanting residence to Prince Gong. Today this mansion is considered as one of the most well preserved extravagant royal residences in Beijing.

The residence compound conforms to the perennial siheyuan style, where the buildings are positioned right around the courtyard. As you explore Prince Gongs Mansion you will come across a striking garden that spreads across 28,000 square metres.

You will enter this garden via a westernized arched gate and there you will find over 20 picturesque spots in all directions. Terraces and pavilions are built here and there to capture these wonderful vistas. Taking garden landscaping a notch up youd even discover manmade hills speckled amidst the ponds. Some of these hills are made of rocks extracted from the Lake Tai.

The more you explore Prince Gongs Mansion the more you will become fascinated. For this palatial residence houses another attraction set towards the eastern side of the garden. You will have a pleasant surprise when you stumble upon a wooden Grand Theatre House, claiming to be over a century old.

If you are interested in opera, then you will be treated to no end as the theatre hosts performances of Kunqu Opera, imperial music and Peking Opera. Watching traditional Chinese opera performed on a spacious stage while sitting on antique chairs in an old theatre will naturally welcome you to experience a bygone era.

There is so much to see and learn about traditional architecture at the Prince Gongs Mansion. Each building will tell its own story about its own era and its own traditions. Find yourself a cosy hotel accommodation Beijing and explore this wonderful historical attraction that epitomizes traditional Chinese architecture. Raffles Beijing Hotel, China is an ideal choice if you prefer to stay in the heart of commercial and business districts. Whats more this elegant hotel in Beijing is snuggled amidst some of the best attractions of Beijing including Forbidden City and the Silk Market.

by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

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