Prince Gong’s Mansion is located on Qianhai West Street in Xicheng District, Beijing. It was a grand princely residence during the Qing Dynasty, serving as the residence of the corrupt official Heshen and Prince Yonglian, and later named after Prince Gong who lived there. The mansion has witnessed the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty, thus earning the saying, ‘One Prince Gong’s Mansion, half of Qing history.’
As one of the most well-preserved princely complexes in China, the mansion boasts over 30 architectural clusters with an exquisite layout and extraordinary grandeur. It is divided into two parts: the residence in the front (south) and the garden in the back (north). The residence covers an area of approximately 30,000 square meters and is composed of multiple quadrangle courtyards arranged along a strict central axis, divided into three routes: central, eastern, and western, with three courtyards in each route. The central route features the main buildings, the Silver Peace Hall and Jiale Hall, with green glazed tiles on the roofs, signifying the solemnity and grandeur of the central route, as well as the status of the prince. The eastern route’s front courtyard main room is the Duofu Pavilion, where Heshen’s son, Fugeng Yinde, later lived with his wife, Princess Gulong Heshou, the youngest daughter of Emperor Qianlong, making this mansion effectively a princess’s residence for a time. The main room of the rear courtyard is the Ledao Hall, which was the living quarters of Prince Gong Yixin. The western route features more delicate and exquisite courtyards, with the main buildings being the Baoguang Hall and Xijin Hall. The architectural masterpiece is the Xijin Hall, with its grand and imposing appearance and exquisitely carved Nanmu partitions inside, modeled after the Ning Shou Palace in the Forbidden City by Heshen. The garden, located to the north of the residence and also known as Cuijin Garden, covers an area of over 28,000 square meters and contains 31 ancient buildings. Prince Gong gathered hundreds of skilled craftsmen to construct the garden, and upon completion, its splendor was unparalleled among the hundreds of princely mansions in Beijing, making it the quintessence of existing princely garden art in the capital. The garden is permeated with the theme of ‘blessing,’ with clear themes. The Western-style gate, the imperial script ‘blessing’ stele, and the indoor grand theater are known as the ‘three wonders’ of Prince Gong’s Mansion. The entire garden is open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30-17:00; closed all day on Mondays; and open from 08:30-17:00 on New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day. Preferential policies: Children aged 6 and under or with a height of 1.2 meters and under, free with ID or household registration; Retired officials, free with retirement certificate; Disabled, free with disability certificate; Elderly aged 60 and over, half-price with ID; Military personnel, half-price with valid ID; Students, half-price with ID and student card for full-time undergraduate and below (excluding postgraduates, masters, doctors, and adult education); Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign youth tourists, half-price with valid ID or student documents; Minors aged 6 to 18, half-price with ID or household registration. Service facilities: Parking lot: [Prince Gong’s Mansion Parking Lot on Liuyin Street], reference price: ¥10/hour; address: Dajinsi Hutong from Houhai South to Qianhai West Street (near Yin Ding Bridge); capacity: 50. WIFI: Account: GWF; password: no password required; coverage: full coverage. Luggage storage: Guided tours: Individual tours:讲解 service fee is 200 yuan per session for less than 5 people, 40 yuan per person for more than 5 people.Location: Prince Gong’s Mansion Front Square Tourist Service Hall. Audio Guide Rental: Reference price: 30 yuan per unit, no deposit required; Address: Prince Gong’s Mansion Front Square Tourist Service Hall. 1. Audio guides are available in Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese, and Minnan), English, French, Spanish, and Japanese. They are divided into adult and children’s versions. 2. The guide covers nearly 50 attractions, providing professional explanations from historical, cultural, and architectural perspectives. 3. After the tour, please return the audio guide to the return point located in the exit corridor. 4. The audio guide is set to automatically detect the location, providing explanations at each attraction with adjustable volume. Please use it properly. In case of damage or loss, compensation is 500 yuan per unit. Stroller Rental: Reference price: Fee applies; Address: Tourist Center. Wheelchair Rental: Address: Tourist Service Center. Restrooms: At the scenic area ticket office and internal souvenir shops. Cultural and Creative Shops: Located in Qiushui Mountain House, Chenghuaijue Xiu, and on the west side inside the No. 2 gate of Prince Gong’s Mansion.
