2m yuan annual repairs for Qing palace

The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, is undergoing annual renovation. With a budget of more than 2 million yuan ($315,800), the refurbishing of the palace - the second-largest royal complex in China after the Forbidden City in Beijing - is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Built in 1625, the palace, also called Mukden Palace, was the residence of Nurhaci and his son Hong Taiji, founders of the Qing Dynasty. Shenyang was later used as an accompanying capital after the dynasty moved its capital to Beijing in 1644.

Li Shengneng, deputy curator of the palace, said that more than 100 experienced relic building repairers have participated in the renovation, and are trying to maintain the palace's grandeur as it was. "This is the largest scale maintenance of the past few years. Some of the buildings don't need to be repaired every year."