The northeasternmost of the six eastern palaces of the Forbidden City, it started out as a residence for concubines, and later became a library.
Palace of Great Brilliance
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.14 MILES
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
2.91 MILES
An oasis of methodical Confucian design, the 267-hectare Temple of Heaven Park is unique. It originally served as a vast stage for solemn rites performed…
8.49 MILES
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating…
1.2 MILES
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
0.72 MILES
Beihai Park, inside the old Imperial City, looks much as it would have done in the 18th century when it served as Emperor Qianlong's private gardens. The…
2.39 MILES
This immense fortress, part of the Ming City Wall Ruins Park, guarded the southeast corner of Beijing's city walls. Originally built in 1439 but repaired…
0.86 MILES
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
6.52 MILES
Contemporary art meets communist history at this thrilling enclave of international galleries installed within China's model factory complex of the 1950s…
Nearby Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central attractions
0.03 MILES
Built in 1420, this palace has been the residence of numerous empresses, imperial concubines and consorts. It's one of the six eastern palaces in the…
2. Palace of Accumulated Purity
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One of the Forbidden City's six eastern palaces, this is notable for being the former residence of the young Xianfeng Emperor, who lived here with his mum.
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One of the six eastern palaces, this dates from 1420, and was used as a residence of imperial concubines. Today it houses a museum displaying a range of…
4. Palace of Prolonging Happiness
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The most unique of the Forbidden City's six eastern palaces, the Palace of Prolonging Happiness features an unfinished 20th-century Western-style building…
5. Palace of Great Benevolence
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One of the six eastern palaces in the Forbidden City, this was a residence of imperial concubines. Emperor Kangxi, most exalted of the Qing emperors (or…
0.07 MILES
In the northern boundary of the Treasure Garden is the site where Zhen (the Pearl Concubine), favourite consort of Emperor Guangxu, was said to have been…
7. Hall of Spiritual Cultivation
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Built in 1776, the Hall of Spiritual Cultivation was intended to be used for Qing emperor Qianlong's retirement. He never moved in, although he did throw…
0.09 MILES
At the northern end of the Forbidden City is the Imperial Garden, where emperors and their consorts could retreat to read, relax, sip tea and stroll among…