“Now built is the imperial palace, which is of magnificence.” The “Ode to Mukden” written by Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736-1795) praises profusely an imperial palace, referring to the Mukden Palace built by Nurhaci and Huang Taiji, two founders of the Qing Dynasty. On April 9, 1625, during the reign of Tianming Khan of the Later Jin Dynasty, Nurhaci (relocated the capital from Liaoyang to Shenyang and built the Dazheng Hall and Shiwang Pavilions, opening up the first page in the history of Shenyang Imperial Palace. After the Qing Dynasty settled the capital in Beijing in 1644, the Shenyang Imperial Palace was known as the “palace of the provisional capital”, becoming a temporary palace for emperors including Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Qianlong, Emperor Jiaqing, and Emperor Daoguang during their eastward inspections to Mukden.

Located in the center of the square city of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Shenyang Imperial Palace covers an area of over 60,000 square meters and retains over 500 rooms in more than 114 buildings of the Qing Dynasty. According to the period of construction and basic layout, the buildings are mainly divided into the eastern, middle, and western sections. In the eastern section, there is the Dazheng Hall, the Shiwang Pavilions, and other buildings constructed in the early days when Nurhaci settled the capital in Shenyang. In the middle section, there is the Great Inner Imperial Palace before the Qing Dynasty settled the capital in Beijing, and the Temporary Palace, the Mukden Temple of Imperial Ancestors, and other complexes constructed after the Qing Dynasty settled the capital in Beijing. On the western section are the Wensu Pavilion, the Performing Stage, and other newly constructed buildings during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Completed in a course of nearly 160 years, the three sections of buildings reveal great relevance with the times.

The Shenyang Imperial Palace is an epitome of rich traditional Manchu culture, an assemblage of architectural decorative elements of the Han, Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan ethnic groups, and an integration of architectural features of palace buildings and local residences. An embodiment of the highest technological and artistic achievements of palace buildings before the Qing Dynasty settled the capital in Beijing, the Shenyang Imperial Palace demonstrates its superb historical and artistic value and distinctive features. In 1961, the Shenyang Imperial Palace was identified by the State Council as one of the first key historical and cultural sites under state protection, inscribed on the list of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 2004, and recognized as a first-grade national museum in 2017.