The Puppet Manchukuo Palace Museum is located at No. 5, Guangfu North Road, Kuancheng District, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a key national cultural relics protection unit, and a national first-class museum in China. The predecessor of the scenic spot was the official office of the Jilin-Heilongjiang Salt Transport Bureau, which managed the salt affairs of Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces during the Republic of China period. The total area of the scenic spot is approximately 250,500 square meters, with a building area of about 137,000 square meters. The architectural style combines ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign elements, featuring typical colonial characteristics, and is one of the three major imperial palace ruins in China.
Historical Culture
The predecessor of the Puppet Manchukuo Palace Museum, the Jilin-Heilongjiang Salt Transport Bureau, was established in the 34th year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1908). In 1932, Japanese invaders supported Puyi in establishing the "Manchukuo" and moved him to the Jilin-Heilongjiang Salt Transport Bureau, where the Puppet Manchukuo Executive Government was established. In 1934, Puyi ascended the throne as emperor for the third time. After that, buildings such as Huaiyuan Building, East Imperial Garden, Jiale Hall, and Tongde Hall were successively built in the Puppet Manchukuo Palace. In August 1945, Puyi left the Puppet Manchukuo Palace, and Tongde Hall was successively converted into a technical school of the First Automobile Factory and other places. In 1962, the Puppet Manchukuo Palace Exhibition Hall was established, resumed in 1982, officially opened to the public in 1984, and was officially renamed the Puppet Manchukuo Palace Museum in 2001.
Main Attractions
Qinmin Building
It is located to the north of Jixi Building in the Puppet Manchukuo Palace, with a construction area of 1,206 square meters. Originally the office building of the Jilin-Heilongjiang Salt Transport Bureau, it was later renovated and repaired to become Puyi's office building. There is a square courtyard in the middle of the building. The southeast part of the second floor is the main hall, Qinmin Hall, which is the place where Puyi worked, received important guests, and held official ceremonies. He once held the "coronation" ceremony here to claim the title of "emperor".
Jixi Building
Located in the west courtyard of the inner court of the Puppet Manchukuo Palace in Changchun, it was built in the 34th year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1908). The construction area is unknown. It is the bedroom of Puyi and his concubines Wanrong and Tan Yuling. The first and second floors are the bedroom areas. The west part of the second floor is Puyi's living area, the east part is Wanrong's living area, and the west part of the first floor was later converted into Tan Yuling's bedroom and study.
Tongde Hall
Located in the east courtyard of the Puppet Manchukuo Palace, with a construction area of 5,758 square meters. Designed in 1935 and officially completed at the end of 1938, it is a temporary palace designed and built by the Japanese for Puyi and his concubines, integrating living, government affairs and entertainment. Puyi suspected that there were wiretapping facilities in the building and did not officially move in for a long time.
Huaiyuan Building
Completed in the autumn of 1934, it was mainly used by Puyi for worshipping his ancestors, and some administrative offices of the palace also operated here. Inside the building, in addition to the Fengxian Hall where Puyi enshrined the ancestral tablets and portraits of his forefathers, the Shangshu Mansion, the Retinue Officer's Office, and some departments of the Imperial Household Office were also located here.
East Imperial Garden
It has an obvious Japanese style and is currently the largest garden building with Japanese characteristics in China. There is an air-raid shelter in the garden, which is poured with reinforced concrete at one time, and there is a rockery several meters high piled on it.
Food
Xueyi Dousha (Snowy Bean Paste)
You can taste Puyi's same style of Xueyi Dousha at the "Palace Restaurant" 500 meters to the right of the museum's exit. This dish has a fluffy and white outer skin and a sweet filling, which is a characteristic dessert.
Sauerkraut and White Meat Hot Pot
You can also eat Sauerkraut and White Meat Hot Pot at the "Palace Restaurant". The sour taste of sauerkraut combined with the mellow taste of white meat is a characteristic food of Northeast China.
Tickets
The ticket price is 70 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "伪满皇宫博物院" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
Peak season (April 1 - October 31): 8:30 - 17:20, ticket sales stop at 16:20; Off-season (November 1 - March 31 of the next year): 8:30 - 16:50, ticket sales stop at 15:50.
Tour Route
Enter from Laixun Gate, and visit Tongde Hall, Calligraphy and Painting Building, East Imperial Garden, Jixi Building, Qinmin Building, Huaiyuan Building, Jiale Hall, West Imperial Garden, Zhixiu Pavilion, Changchun Pavilion, Imperial Palace Office, Racecourse and other attractions in sequence.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus No. 264 and get off at Puppet Manchukuo Palace Station, then walk to reach it.
- Light Rail: Take Light Rail Line 3 or 4 and get off at Puppet Palace Station.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Tongde Hall: The architectural style integrates Chinese and Japanese elements, which is very distinctive. There is the "On the Hall: The Documentary Exhibition of the Protection and Renovation of Tongde Hall" on the second floor, where you can learn about the story behind the renovation.
- Qinmin Building: It is the place where Puyi held the coronation ceremony and received foreign envoys, and is a symbol of the Puppet Manchukuo puppet regime. There is the "Exhibition of Puppet Manchukuo Court Costumes" on the first floor.
- Jixi Building: It is the residence of Puyi, Empress Wanrong and Tan Yuling, restoring their living scenes. There is the "Exhibition of Life Pictures of Puyi and His Concubines" on the first floor.
- Huaiyuan Building: There is the "Lan Hui Phantom - Exhibition of Puyi's 'Imperial Emblem' Utensils" in Qingyan Hall on the second floor. Various utensils show Puyi's special status and the complex history of the Puppet Manchukuo court.
- Jiale Hall: It is the place where Puyi gave banquets. The palace is grand and solemn. The exhibition "From Emperor to Citizen - The Life of Aisin-Gioro Puyi" here comprehensively shows Puyi's legendary life.
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to enter at the opening time in the morning to have enough time for sightseeing.
- You can pay attention to the exhibitions in various halls, such as the "Exhibition of Puppet Manchukuo Court Costumes" on the first floor of Qinmin Building, to have a deeper understanding of the Puppet Manchukuo court culture.
Matters Needing Attention
- Please abide by the visiting order of the scenic spot, do not make loud noises or chase and fight.
- It is forbidden to touch cultural relics and damage exhibits to avoid damage.
- There may be many tourists in the scenic spot, please take good care of your personal belongings to prevent loss.
- You can learn about the exhibition information and visiting instructions in advance through the official website or public account of the scenic spot to better plan your trip.