Shenyang, Liaoning Province

Shenyang is the capital of Liaoning Province, about 500 miles north of Beijing. The city used to be known as Mukden, a name used by the Tartar people who once ruled the area. It has a history of more than 3,000 years. When the Manchurians seized Beijing in 1644 and established the Qing dynasty with Beijing as its capital, Mukden became its secondary capital and remained so far 350 years. Today Shenyang is one of China's major industrial centers thanks to the rich deposits of coal, iron ore and nonferrous ore throughout Liaoning Province. 

The Imperial Palace in Shenyang is now a museum, displaying historical artifacts of the Qing Dynasty. At one time it served as the Imperial Palace of Emperors Nu Er Ha Chi and Huang Tai Ji. It covers an area of 15 acres, with 300 rooms in 70 buildings, dispersed in a dozen courtyards. The Palace is the best preserved cluster of imperial structures in the country next only to the Forbidden City in Beijing. Resembling the latter in style and layout, it is characterized by the combination of architectural styles of Man and Han nationalities. 

The Bei Ling Northern Imperial Tomb to the north of Shenyang was built in 1643. Covering an area of 1,113 acres, it is where Emperor Shunzhi's father, Huang Tai Ji, and mother, Bo Er Ji Ji, were buried. Once the exclusive domain of the Imperial family of the Qing Dynasty, it is now a magnificent public park.