Can I buy tickets to Prince Gong's Mansion on the spot?
The tickets to Prince Gong's Mansion could not be bought on the spot. Prince Gong's Mansion had stopped selling tickets on the spot since 2015. Now, tickets could only be purchased online through the official website or third-party travel platforms in advance. Due to the scenic spot's location in the center of Beijing, in order to protect cultural relics and the tourist environment, the number of visitors received per day was limited. Therefore, it was recommended to book tickets in advance to avoid wasting time waiting for admission.
Can I buy tickets on the spot at Yungang Grottoes?
Yungang Grotto tickets could be purchased on the spot. The tourists could buy tickets at the ticket window of the scenic spot or make an online reservation. Online reservations were not limited by time and space. As long as they made an appointment in advance, they could buy tickets anytime and anywhere. On-site ticket purchase requires the guidance of the staff to choose the nearest scanning code ticketing point to purchase tickets. Therefore, it was possible to buy tickets on the spot or online.
The morning tickets for Prince Gong's Mansion passed 12 o'clock.
The morning ticket to Prince Gong's Mansion was past 12 o'clock. The tickets to Prince Gong's Mansion were divided into morning and afternoon tickets. The morning tickets could only be used from 9:00 to 12:00 in the morning. Therefore, visitors with morning tickets could not enter Prince Gong's Mansion after 12 o'clock. This was to control the number of visitors and the flow of time to avoid crowding. If you want to visit Prince Gong's Mansion, it is recommended to plan your itinerary in advance and choose the right time to buy tickets to avoid wasting time and money.
Prince Gong's Mansion
Prince Gong's Mansion was located in Shichahai, Beijing. It was one of the most well-preserved mansions in existence. Its predecessor was the residence of He Shen, a powerful minister in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, and the residence of Yonglin, the younger brother of Emperor Jiaqing. As the residence of a Qing Dynasty prince, the Gong Prince's Mansion had a well-organized layout, exquisite craftsmanship, and crisscrossed pavilions, displaying the glory and wealth of the royal family and the elegance of the people. Prince Gong's Mansion was made up of two parts, the mansion and the garden, covering an area of about 61120 square meters. The mansion was divided into east, middle, and west roads. Each road was formed by a strict central axis that ran through the courtyard houses. The most important buildings in the middle road were the Silver Peace Hall and the Jiale Hall. The roofs were made of green glazed tiles, showing the majesty of the middle road. Prince Gong's Mansion was known as the pearl of Shichahai. It was one of the most well-preserved Qing Dynasty mansions in China.
Blessing of Prince Gong's Mansion
Prince Gong's Mansion was located in the Xicheng District Beijing City. It was known as the " Wanfu Garden." There were many decorations in Prince Gong's Mansion, the most famous of which was the Fu stele written by Emperor Kangxi, known as the "First Blessing in the World." This Fu stele was found in the Secret Cloud Cave in the garden of Prince Gong's Mansion. It was personally inscribed by Emperor Kangxi and had the auspicious meaning of having many children, many talents, many fields, and long life. Prince Gong's Mansion also had many Fu characters hidden in the railings, flower windows, lintel, and bat shapes. It was said that there were more than 10,000 Fu characters in total. The good fortune of Prince Gong's Mansion came from the decoration of these words, making it one of the places where Beijingers pursued good fortune.
The Predecessor of Prince Gong's Mansion
The predecessor of Prince Gong's Mansion was the mansion of He Shen, the favorite minister of the Qianlong period.
Where is Prince Gong's Mansion?
Prince Gong's Mansion was located on Liuyin Street on the west bank of Qianhai, Shichahai, Xicheng District, Beijing City. The specific address was 17 Qianhai West Street, Xicheng District, Beijing City. Prince Gong's Mansion occupied an area of about 60,000 square meters, including the mansion and the garden. The mansion occupied 32260 square meters, and the garden occupied 28860 square meters. Prince Gong's Mansion was the largest mansion in the Qing Dynasty and the only one that was open to the public.
What is the relationship between Prince Qing's Mansion and Prince Gong's Mansion?
Prince Qing's Mansion had a direct relationship with Prince Gong's Mansion. Prince Qing's Mansion was originally a mansion given to Prince Qing Yonglin by Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty. Later, Emperor Xianfeng gave it to Prince Gong, and renamed it Prince Gong's Mansion. Therefore, Prince Qing's Mansion changed its name to Prince Gong's Mansion. The two were different naming stages of the same building.
There is a picture of a window in the Prince Gong's Mansion
The Fu Qing Yu Chuang pattern of Prince Gong's Mansion was composed of an upside down bat, a chime shaped window frame, and a pair of catfish. These patterns implied that there would be more than enough blessings every year. Bats represented happiness and good fortune, while catfish was homonym for "Nian Yu", symbolizing good fortune and abundance. The design of these patterns reflected Prince Gong's wish for good fortune and happiness.
Construction Time of Prince Gong's Mansion
Prince Gong's Mansion was built in the 49th year of Qianlong (1784).
The Fu character in Prince Gong's Mansion
The word "fortune" in Prince Gong's Mansion was called "the best fortune in the world". This Fu stele was written by Emperor Kangxi, and it was engraved with the seal of "Treasure of Emperor Kangxi". The writing method of the Fu character implied five kinds of characters: "son, field, talent, longevity, and blessing", meaning "many sons, many fields, many talents, many longevity, and many blessings". The Fu stele was hidden in the Secret Cloud Cave in the garden of Prince Gong's residence and was considered the treasure of Prince Gong's residence. This stele was the only 'blessing' in the world that combined the five blessings and longevity. It was also known as the 'Longevity Blessing' and the 'First Blessing in the World'. The existence of the monument attracted many tourists to touch it, hoping to get some good fortune. Apart from the Fu stele, there were other buildings and scenic spots related to Fu in Prince Gong's Mansion, such as the Pavilion of Many Blessings, the Pavilion of Blessings Mirror, the Bat (Blessing) Pool, and the Bat (Blessing) Hall. The entire Prince Gong's Mansion was known as the "Garden of Ten Thousand Blessings", and the blessing culture was one of its major characteristics.