Prince Kung's Palace, built in 1780, is the most well-preserved Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) princely residence in Beijing that is fully open to the public.
The palace once served as the residence of Princess Hexiao (1775-1823, the 10th daughter of Emperor Qianlong), Heshen (1750-1799, a high-ranking courtier) and Prince Qing Yonglin (1766-1820, the 17th son of Emperor Qianlong), but it takes its name from Yixin (1833-1898, the sixth son of Emperor Daoguang), Prince Kung, who later lived there.
In 1982, the palace was listed as China's Foremost Protected Cultural Heritage Site. It was upgraded to a national 5A Tourist Attraction in 2012 and was rated as a National First-Class Museum in 2017.
Prince Kung's Palace Museum, established on the site of Prince Kung's Palace, serves as a museum focusing on the research, display, and spread of the historical and cultural heritage of princely residences. The museum currently has one director, with five deputy directors, overseeing a total of 14 functional departments.
