Built in 1777 by He Shen (one of the most corrupt officials of the Qianlong period), this compound later became home to Prince Gong (1833-1898), Emperor Xianfeng’s younger broth-er. Gong helped negotiate the Treaty of Peking after the Second Opium War and promoted western-style reforms in the late 19th century. This willingness to embrace foreign customs made him reviled by many mid-century Chinese historians, but he has since been rehabilitated. Today he is considered a model statesman, and his compound is a textbook example of a noble’s mansion during the Qing dynasty.
The strange rock garden and massive lily pond have none of the delicate subtleties of the gardens in Hangzhou or Suzhou, but wandering inside the compound provides a nice escape from the racket of Beijing traffic. Peking Opera performances in the theater, with requisite tea sipping and seed cracking, are part of the guided package tour, though the regular entrance ticket allows for strolling at your own pace. Not so popular with foreign tourists, this site is packed with domestic travelers and may be very crowded. For companies with VIPs in town, group lunches and dinners may be hosted at the mansion. The common folk can eat in the Zhou Enlai-established Sichuan Restaurant on Liuyin Jie, which overlooks the compound.
Sichuan Restaurant Daily 11am-2pm and 5-9pm. 14A Liuyin Jie, Xicheng District. (8322 6925) 四川饭店，西城区柳荫街甲14号
Situated inside Prince Gong's Mansion (Gongwangfu) is a 200-seat wooden traditional opera theater with excellent acoustics and authentic ambiance.
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