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5A LevelHistorical Sites

The Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo

The Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo

Jilin · Changchun

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Category:Historical Sites

The Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo, located in Changchun, is the former palace of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who served as the puppet emperor of the Japanese-controlled state of Manchukuo. This site bears witness to Japan's invasion of China, with architecture blending Chinese and Japanese styles. It now serves as an important historical relic to warn future generations.

INTRODUCTION

About This Attraction

The Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo: A Witness to History

Overview

The Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo is located at No. 5 Guangfu North Road, Kuancheng District, Changchun City, Jilin Province. It is a palace-site museum established on the former palace grounds of Aisin Gioro Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, when he served as the puppet emperor of Manchukuo. As a historical witness to the Japanese imperialist invasion of Northeast China and the implementation of colonial rule, the museum is now a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit, a National First-Class Museum, and a National 5A Tourist Attraction.

Geographical Location: No. 5 Guangfu North Road, Kuancheng District, Changchun City, Jilin Province
Land Area: Approximately 137,000 square meters
Building Area: Approximately 47,000 square meters
Construction Period: Construction began in 1932, basically completed in 1934, with subsequent expansions
Main Buildings: Including Jixi Tower, Qinmin Tower, Huaiyuan Tower, Tongde Hall, Jiale Hall, Calligraphy and Painting Tower, etc.
Protection Level: National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit (designated in 1982)

PRACTICAL INFO

Travel Essentials

Opening Hours

Summer (Apr 16 - Oct 15): 8:30-17:20 (ticket sales stop at 16:50) Winter (Oct 16 - Apr 15): 8:30-16:50 (ticket sales stop at 16:10) Closed every Monday (except public holidays)

Ticket Price

Regular ticket: 70 yuan/person Discounted ticket: half price for students, seniors aged 60-65, etc. with valid ID Free: seniors over 65, disabled, active military, etc. with valid ID

How to Get There

Bus: Take Changchun bus routes 264, 274, 276, 287, etc., and get off at the "Manchukuo Imperial Palace" stop. Metro: Take Changchun Metro Line 3 to "Manchukuo Imperial Palace" station, and exit from Exit C to reach the museum. Self-driving: The museum has a parking lot; navigate to "Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo" to arrive.

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Historical Evolution

Transformation from Salt Warehouse to "Imperial Palace"

The site of the Manchukuo Imperial Palace was originally the office and salt warehouse of the Jihei Salt Transport Bureau (a salt administration agency). After the September 18 Incident in 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army occupied all of Northeast China. In March 1932, Japan supported Puyi in establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo, with its capital in Changchun (renamed "Xinjing"). Initially, Puyi used the former site of the Jihei Salt Transport Bureau as a temporary "Executive Government." In March 1934, Manchukuo changed to a monarchy, and Puyi ascended the throne as "Emperor," after which the site was converted into an "Imperial Palace."

Expansion and Use (1934-1945)

From 1934 until Japan's surrender in 1945, the Manchukuo Imperial Palace underwent multiple expansions. The Japanese Kwantung Army headquarters directly participated in the planning, intending to make it a political symbol of "Japan-Manchukuo friendship." However, due to funding constraints and deliberate Japanese control, the entire complex was never fully completed as planned, and its scale was cramped and modest compared to traditional imperial palaces like the Forbidden City in Beijing. Puyi spent 13 years of his puppet life here until Japan's defeat and surrender in August 1945, when Puyi fled and the palace was abandoned.

Post-War Changes and Protection

After 1945, the Manchukuo Imperial Palace was successively occupied by the Kuomintang army, the People's Liberation Army, and local units, and some buildings were damaged. In 1962, the Jilin Provincial People's Committee listed it as a provincial key cultural relic protection unit. In 1982, the State Council designated it as a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit. In 1984, the Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo was formally established, beginning systematic restoration and exhibition work. Since then, the museum has gradually restored the historical appearance of the main buildings and opened to the public.

Architectural Layout and Main Buildings

The overall layout of the Manchukuo Imperial Palace complex is not the traditional Chinese palace axisymmetric pattern, but rather based on the original terrain and building foundations, combined with Japanese modern architectural styles and Western architectural elements, forming a unique, colonial-style mixed layout. The entire courtyard can be divided into three parts: the Inner Court, the Outer Court, and the Imperial Garden.

Inner Court Buildings

The Inner Court was the area where Puyi and his consorts lived daily, with main buildings including Jixi Tower and Tongde Hall.

Jixi Tower: Built in 1932, with a building area of about 1,032 square meters. It is a two-story gray building of brick-and-wood mixed structure, serving as the bedroom for Puyi and his consorts. The name of the tower is taken from the Book of Songs, Daya, Wen Wang: "Yu Ji Xi Jing Zhi," meaning brightness. Puyi lived on the east side of the first floor, while the second floor was the residence of Empress Wanrong and Noble Consort Tan Yuling. The interior furnishings are a blend of Chinese and Western styles, with both Chinese furniture and Western chandeliers and carpets, reflecting Puyi's living conditions in the special historical environment.
Tongde Hall: Built in 1937, with a building area of about 5,750 square meters. This is the largest and most luxurious building in the Manchukuo Imperial Palace, and it was the "formal palace" designed and built for Puyi by the Japanese. The building is a two-story reinforced concrete structure with a roof covered with yellow glazed tiles, combining the roof form of traditional Chinese palaces with the facade style of modern Japanese architecture. The name "Tongde" means "Japan and Manchukuo with one heart and one virtue." Inside, it houses Puyi's office, audience room, banquet hall, cinema, etc. It is noteworthy that Puyi never lived here because he suspected the Japanese had installed listening devices in the building; it was only used for receptions and ceremonies.

Outer Court Buildings

The Outer Court was the place where Puyi handled political affairs and held ceremonies, with main buildings including Qinmin Tower, Huaiyuan Tower, and Jiale Hall.

Qinmin Tower: Built in 1932, with a building area of about 1,200 square meters. It is a two-story square building with a central courtyard. The name of the tower means "diligent in government and loving the people," but in reality, it was the place where the puppet emperor handled political affairs. The first floor was mainly used as the meeting room between the Japanese Kwantung Army commander and Puyi, and the guard office. The main hall on the second floor, "Qinmin Hall," was where Puyi held his enthronement ceremony, received foreign envoys, and issued edicts. On March 1, 1934, Puyi held the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Manchukuo here.
Huaiyuan Tower: Built in 1934, with a building area of about 1,500 square meters. Located north of Qinmin Tower, it was the place where Puyi offered sacrifices to his ancestors and held family banquets. The tower houses the "Qingyan Hall" (banquet hall) and the "Fengxian Hall" (a hall for ancestral worship). Puyi held regular sacrificial activities here according to the old Qing system to maintain the symbol of his "orthodox" imperial power.
Jiale Hall: Built in 1940, with a building area of about 1,300 square meters. Located east of Huaiyuan Tower, it is a large banquet hall mainly used for large banquets and "bestowal feasts." The architectural style is simple, and the interior space is open, making it an important venue for social activities in the Manchukuo court at that time.

Other Auxiliary Buildings

Calligraphy and Painting Tower: Built in 1936, with a building area of about 670 square meters. It is a two-story small building used to store precious calligraphy and painting relics that Puyi brought out from the Forbidden City in Beijing. Puyi used to organize and appreciate these national treasures here, and some of these relics were lost after 1945.
Imperial Garden: Located between the Inner Court and the Outer Court, covering an area of about 11,000 square meters. The garden features rockeries, ponds, pavilions, flower beds, etc., and was a place for Puyi and his consorts to rest. Various trees and flowers are planted, and Japanese-style stone lanterns and other ornaments are set up, reflecting the penetration of colonial culture.
Air-Raid Shelter: An underground reinforced concrete air-raid shelter was built in the courtyard, used by the Japanese for Puyi and senior Kwantung Army officials to take refuge during air raids, reflecting the tense situation of the war.

Architectural Features

Mixed-Style Colonial Architecture

The architectural style of the Manchukuo Imperial Palace is extremely mixed, directly reflecting Japanese colonial rule in architecture. Its main features include:

"Imperial Crown Style" and "Eclectic Japanese-Western": Represented by Tongde Hall, its roof adopts the traditional Chinese hip roof with yellow glazed tiles, but the body of the building uses Western columns, window styles, and facade composition. This technique of "Western body, Eastern crown" is a variant of the "Imperial Crown Style" developed by Japan in the 1930s to showcase its "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" concept, as applied in Manchukuo.
Function-First Layout: The entire complex is not planned according to the ritual order of traditional Chinese palaces (such as front court and rear residence, ancestral temple on the left and altar of land and grain on the right), but rather emphasizes practicality and defensiveness. Buildings are connected by corridors, forming relatively enclosed courtyards, which facilitated monitoring by the Japanese Kwantung Army.
Colonial Nature of Materials: A large number of modern building materials such as reinforced concrete, steel windows, and glass were used, but decorative details deliberately incorporated traditional Chinese elements such as dragon patterns and cloud patterns, attempting to create the "legitimacy" of "Manchukuo."
Sense of Oppression in Scale: Unlike the grandeur of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the buildings of the Manchukuo Imperial Palace are generally smaller in scale, with lower ceilings and cramped spaces. This design is considered to have intentionally weakened the majesty of imperial power, keeping Puyi in an atmosphere of suppression and control.

Defense and Surveillance System

The Manchukuo Imperial Palace was filled with surveillance facilities installed by the Japanese Kwantung Army. The buildings contained numerous hidden doors, false walls, and listening devices (Puyi suspected such devices were installed in Tongde Hall). The courtyard had multiple guard rooms and watchtowers, and Japanese military police and "Imperial Household Department" guards closely monitored Puyi's every move. This ubiquitous surveillance system is a distinctive feature that sets the Manchukuo Imperial Palace apart from any traditional imperial palace.