Dwelling-place for concubines -- wow!

After the Qing emperors had moved their capital to Beijing, they still used the Shenyang palace as a summer retreat — a Qing Camp David, if you will. When the Son of Heaven travels, of course, he must bring with him a proper selection of his wives. Thus, was this small building built about fifteen feet out the back door to the Emperor's sleeping quarters.

It's perhaps a little cramped, suggesting that the Emperor traveled with a greatly reduced retinue of concubines, relative to the hundred or so who might be available to him in Beijing. Such a pity! 

Okay, the neon-green sign over this circular door might not be authentic. I don't know. 

This was the only place in the Palace where I noticed a circular orifice, and I'm pretty sure that little architectural detail was original. Am I wrong to think that it's perhaps suggestive of something?!

To a modern eye, the concubine's "job" may seem a little off-putting, but at least they lived with some degree of sumptuous comfort. I especially enjoyed the light fixture with the tassels.

Looking the other way, we see another circular doorway with labial drapery. Perhaps the writing desk is historical, but I don't know that the concubines had such liberties afforded to them.

Please forgive me if disturbed

Today I received the following e-mail message: 

贵公司负责人你好： 

   我是深圳天宏实业有限公司，我公司在（全国各地）有分公司，每个月进项多完成不了所定的发/票， 

公司现在每个月有向外代开发/票，有增值税的（海关缴款书），国税和地税的：商品销售，运输，广告； 

建筑安装；其它服务业等等，以优惠代开为基本，还可以按数量的大小来商讨。 

如有打扰请原谅， 

详情请电； 

       联系人：黄先生

       联系电话：138-265-91959

       业务QQ：326763017

                                              深圳天宏实业有限公司

Run through Google Language tools, it reads:

Hello, your company: 

    I Industrial Co., Ltd. Shenzhen Tianhong, I in (across the country) have branch offices, can be completed more than a month proceeds Set fat / vote 

Out now on behalf of each month development / votes, value-added tax (customs payment book), tax and government rent: the goods sold Sale, transportation, advertising; 

Construction and installation; other services, etc., open to concessions on behalf of the basic, but also by the size of the number to discuss. 

Please forgive me if disturbed, 

Details, please call; 

        Contact: Mr. Huang 
        Phone :138-265-91959 
        Business QQ: 326763017

So this is my first Chinese spam! I feel I'm moving up in the world.

My favorite part is the last line: "Please forgive me if disturbed." If only it were that easy, Mr. Huang!

More details -- and a warning

Here are some more of the beautiful details from the Shenyang palace. I love the intricate carvings -- all done by hand, long before electric jigsaws!

Unfortunately, the entire place is exposed to the elements -- as well as tourists' fingers (as we saw a few posts back), flash bulbs, and other destructive substances. Amazingly, flash photography is not prohibited anywhere that I'm aware of inside the Palace Museum.

Still, some lovely painted woodwork has survived. These scenes are painted on the beams under the eaves outside two of the buildings. The first one was near the front gate, so I presume it may represent a visiting dignitary being greeted.

These birds were painted under a kind of pagoda in the far back of the palace, in what might have been some sort of flower garden.

As I'm enjoying the palace scenery, I have to realize that the standards of authenticity are maybe not the same as they might be in the States. Looking in the window of an ancient storage room, I saw the following spare parts. They look authentic enough, and they probably are patterned after the original decorative elements, but I'm sure they are quite recently minted.

As I post more pics from the Shenyang palace, I'll try to include only photos of parts that seem authentic.

Shenyang architectural details

I was particularly fascinated by the beautiful, detailed carving and painting at the palace in Shenyang. Everything was so exquisitely handcrafted, and the details were so clear after four centuries. This stone carving is from the stairway into the Chongzheng Hall, which I discussed in a previous posting.

Here is the throne room in

 Chongzheng Hall. Notice the incredibly detailed columns, the details on the watchful dragons, and the scrollwork on the throne.

Mandarin jackets

I'm taking a break from my stories of Shenyang to show you two recent purchases. Marcy and I went to Er Chi Square to shop for traditional Chinese goods. She bought a beautiful green silk blouse with a bamboo pattern on it, which I will post a picture of as soon as she sends it to me.

When we went to pick it up, I saw several gorgeous Mandarin jackets for men. I couldn't resist ordering two of them. The woman took my measurements and sent me on my way. The cost for two tailor-made silk jackets, including material and labor: $75.

I wore the gold one to class today. My students audibly responded when I walked into the room. None of my students said anything out loud, but as I was walking down the hall a student pointed at the jacket and said "It's very wonderful!"

Here is the other one. I can't decide which I like better.

The Manchu kings

Although the Palace in Shenyang is built on the same plan as the earlier Forbidden City in Beijing, it shows a significant influence from the nomadic heritage of its builders. I'm not an expert, but I can see definite hints of it. Here, for example, is where military parades took place. The Emperor would have been in Dazheng Hall, which is the roughly hexagonal building at the far end. It's shaped rather like a Mongolian ger, the circular tent used by nomads in China's frigid north.

Note also the small buildings that line the square. These were occupied by military leaders when they gathered for ceremonies or strategizing. They are small and simple, and reminiscent of a commander's tent in the field.

Sudden-Advent Day

I told my students in Spoken English class today that they should expect an oral exam in two weeks. No one said a word about it in class, but after class one student came up to ask "what can we do if we will not be here for class?" It turns out that the university just recently announced a five-day May Day holiday, which I believe runs from May 1-5. (This is still notionally a Communist country, so May Day is a cause for celebration.)

It's nice to have some time off, but I sure would've appreciated a little heads-up!

Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do with all that time off...