The palace is considered to be of great political and historic significance in modern Chinese history.

The Presidential Palace, which has been expanded to twice its original size, houses a museum featuring priceless cultural relics from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and from the former Kuomintang regime.

Under the guidance of noted historians and specialists, the palace, which covers more than 40,000 square meters, has been renovated and furnished.

Three major sites, the administrative mansion of the Kuomintang regime and the horse stable of the provincial governors of the Qing Dynasty, and the palace of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during a farmer uprising (1851-1864) in mid-Qing Dynasty, have been restored to their original styles.

Located on Yangtze River Avenue in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, the palace was built during the reign of the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to serve as the prince's residence. During the Qing Dynasty, however, it served as the office and residence of the governors of Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Anhui provinces and also of the local silk industry authorities.

It was later the palace of Hong Xiuquan, founder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the regime of the Taiping Revolution, the largest of China's farmer uprisings.

After 1911, when the Qing Dynasty was toppled by the Kuomintang regime, the palace was used as the office and residence of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who led the Democratic Revolution and the interim president of China.

Then in April 1928, it was renovated into the office mansion for the former Kuomintang government, and named the "Presidential Palace" officially in May 1928.

On April 23, 1949, the palace was occupied by troops of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, signaling the end of one era and the beginning of a new era for China.

After New China was founded in October 1949, the palace served as office buildings for the provincial government of Jiangsu.

To conserve the historic site, government departments have gradually moved out.

(eastday.com February 21, 2003)