Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang
The Forbidden City in Beijing was the center of the highest power in China, which ruled Beijing for five centuries (1416-1911). The Forbidden City contains gardens and numerous buildings (nearly 10,000 rooms with furniture and works of art) and is a valuable witness to Chinese civilization during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Qing Palace in Shenyang consists of 114 buildings and was built between 1625-26 and 1783. It has an important library and bears witness to the establishment of the last dynasty that ruled China, after which it expanded its power to become the center of China during the Qing Dynasty and moved the capital to Beijing. The palace later became an annex to the Forbidden City in Beijing. This magnificent building provides important historical witness to the history of the Qing Dynasty and the cultural traditions of the Manchus and other tribes in the north of China.