A three-day seminar on the cultural heritage of princes' mansions ended on Saturday in Beijing's Shunyi District.

"If the Forbidden City represents the royal culture, the quadrangle housing the folk culture, then princes' mansions should have their own culture," said Gu Changjiang, director of the administration center of Prince Gong's Mansion.

The seminar attracted nearly 50 experts and officials. They also discussed the function and usage of the architecture, the loss of cultural relics in the mansions and other topics.

Also the building of a museum about the cultural heritage of princes' mansions is on the agenda.

Originally the residence of Hesheng, the favorite courtier of Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1735-96), Prince Gong's Mansion was then granted to Yixin, brother of Emperor Xianfeng (reigned 1851-62) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The Prince Gong's Mansion is now the best preserved among about 20 such mansions in Beijing, most of which were residences of royal family members. Covering 60,000 square meters, it consists of two parts: mansion and garden. The garden was opened to the public in 1988 and has become a tourist destination in Beijing.

(China Daily August 24, 2005)