Did you know the Jingjiang Princes’ City is older than Beijing’s Forbidden City? Standing before this magnificent complex you are looking at a place steeped in history. Jingjiang Princes’ City also known as the Jingjiang Princes’ Palace or Wangcheng is a historical site in Guilin. It served as both a beloved tourist attraction and the Guangxi Normal University Wangcheng Campus.
Built between 1372 and 1392 during the Ming Dynasty this palace initially housed Zhu Shouqian. He was the nephew of the Ming Dynasty’s first emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. After Zhu Shouqian became the Prince of Jingjiang the palace was established for him. Construction lasted over two decades. The result is a structure almost 630 years old. For 257 years until the end of the Ming Dynasty fourteen kings from twelve generations lived within these walls.
Even Sun Yat-sen the first president of the Republic of China stayed here in 1921 during his Northern Expedition. In 1925 it became Yat-sen Park later transforming into a university campus. Despite numerous fires throughout its history Jingjiang Princes’ City remains one of China’s best-preserved prince cities. Remarkably the original marble steps and carved balustrades still exist. In 1993 the Chinese Government declared it a nationally protected site.
Today Guangxi Normal University occupies the site. Yet it remains open to the public. It’s a fascinating blend of traditional architecture natural beauty history and local culture. This grand walled city boasts four halls four pavilions and about forty other buildings. They surround the main structures covering 19.78 hectares. The layout follows a specific order. From west to east are the Ancestral Temple and Imperial Divine Temple. From south to north are the Chengyun Gate Chengyun Palace and Imperial Burial Place. Other structures are symmetrically arranged around the main buildings.
The red walls and yellow tiles are typical of Chinese palaces. A 1500-meter long city wall made of square bluestones surrounds the entire complex. This wall measures 336 meters east to west and 557.5 meters north to south. It’s 5.5 meters thick and 7.92 meters high. Four gates Guangzhi Duanli Unyi and Tiren provide access. The Solitary Beauty Peak acts as the central axis for the entire city’s structure.
The structures arranged from north to south are Guangzhi Gate Imperial Garden Royal Quarters Chengyun Palace Chengyun Gate and Duanli Gate. Each building speaks volumes about the lives of the princes who once called this place home. As you explore the Jingjiang Princes’ City remember that you’re walking through centuries of history. You’re experiencing a place where imperial power once reigned where emperors resided and where history still whispers in the wind.