The Western Six Palaces are located on the west side of the three major palaces in the Inner Court. They served as residences for concubines during the Ming and Qing dynasties, corresponding to the Eastern Six Palaces. The Western Six Palaces include Yongshou Palace, Yikun Palace, Chuxiu Palace, Xianfu Palace, Changchun Palace, and Qixiang Palace (later renamed Taiji Hall).
However, during the late Qing period, the layout of the Western Six Palaces underwent two significant changes, and it no longer fully corresponds to the Eastern Six Palaces. The first change occurred during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng. The rear hall of Qixiang Palace was converted into a passage hall, connecting it to the northern Changchun Palace. This merged the two two-depth courtyards into a single four-depth courtyard. The second major alteration took place on the occasion of Empress Dowager Cixi’s 50th birthday. Her residence, Chuxiu Palace, was linked to the southern Yikun Palace, creating a larger courtyard for her to live in.
Who else has resided in the Western Six Palaces? The concubine Yi, a real historical figure who was often by Kangxi’s side in the TV series ‘Kangxi’s Private Visits,’ resided in Yikun Palace. The memorable Consort Hua from ‘The Legend of Zhen Huan,’ whose character was based on Emperor Yongzheng’s Consort Nian, also lived in Yikun Palace as depicted in the series.
Opening hours are subject to the actual daily opening status.
