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authorName23242: Chunlei Peng
Date: 01/12/2020
Email: info@chinatourstar.com
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0086 13801211578
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Chinese Name: 美龄宫 Pronunciation: měi líng gōng
Recommended Time for Visit: 1-2 Hours
Occupied Area: 80,000 square meters
Building Time: 1934
Best Visiting Season: All year round
Address: Inside the Zijin Mountain Scenic Area, Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Building Function: The former site of the residence of the Chairman of the Nanjing National Government
| Visitors | Price |
| Adults: Age 19-59 | 30 yuan |
| Child (with valid certificates): Age 6-18 | 15 yuan |
| Senior (with an ID card or a passport): Age 60-69 |
| Palace Gate | All Year Round |
| Opening Hours | 7:30-18:00 |
| Ticket Office Opening Hours | 7:30-17:30 |
Mei-ling Palace, also known as “the former official residence of the chairman of the National Government” is located on the top of Xiaohong Mountain in eastern Nanjing City. Covering a total floor area of over 2,800 square meters, it is praised as “the Best Villa in the Far East”.
Mei-ling Palace was built in 1931 and completed in 1934. Originally designed as the residence of the chairman of the National Government, it was converted into the lounge for senior officials visiting the Mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen (the first leader of Chinese Nationalist Party), and then the residence of Chiang Kai-shek, and his wife Soong Mei-ling after the National Government moved back to Nanjing in 1946 as well as a place where they received foreign guests and held parties.
It is a three-story palace-style building with a saddle roof covered by green glazed tiles, and more than 1000 phoenixes are carved on the eaves tiles, which is the only one of its kind in China. The exterior of the building looks magnificent with Chinese traditional bright yellow walls, red columns and painted eaves while the interior design is in quite luxurious western style. The furnishings inside remain untouched, and visitors may have a clear view of Soong’s daily life at that time.
In 1930, Chiang Kai-shek proposed to the Managing Committee of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum that a villa be built on the top of Xiaohong Mountain.
In 1931, with a budget of 240,000 silver dollars, the construction of the residence started.
In 1934, the house was completed with the actual spending of 360,000 silver dollars under the direction of Chiang Kai-shek.
In 1947, the National Government relocated to Nanjing, and the house was named after Soong Mei-ling due to her frequent visits when she was in Nanjing.
Since 1950, it has been handed over to several management departments, which includes a large hotel company.
In 2001, the palace was classified as national heritage architecture by the Chinese government and since then it has become one of the popular travel sites in Nanjing.
In 2012, after its major renovation after about 60 years, the palace reopened to the public.
The terrace on the second floor is called “Guanfeng Tai” which is considered to be the most artistic part of the whole building and also a place for Soong to entertain the families of senior officials. There stand 34 white marble pillars carved with phoenixes, the number of which is believed to indicate Song’s birthday date, March 4th.
Generally, traditional Chinese houses such as royal palaces are decorated with patterns of dragons which symbolize supreme power, while the dominating patterns in Mei-ling Palace are phoenixes, the figure of the empress. Therefore, the house is believed to be blessed with femininity, which reminds us of its former hostess, Soong Mei-ling.
Soong loved Chinese painting very much and used to be the student of Zhang Daqian, one of the best known Chinese artists in the 20th century, and once held her Chinese painting exhibition in New York.
Now some of her works with inscriptions of her husband are on display in the palace, which show Soong’s life not only as a politician or a diplomat but also as an artist.
Mei-ling Palace is not only a magnificent building, but also is endowed with a romantic aura. Many believe that the palace was a gift from Chiang to Soong, which represents the love between them.
It is said that Soong loved plane trees very much, and therefore Chiang asked to plant a large number of plane trees around the house.
From a bird view, the palace, together with its surroundings, takes a shape of a beautiful necklace. The green roof of the palace resembles a giant emerald in the center while the plane trees planted on the sides of the roads leading to the palace look like a pendant and the chain. As plane trees are green in summer and turn yellow in autumn, the color of the necklace also changes with seasons, which makes the scenery quite eye-catching.
Despite the fact that the “necklace” was formed unintentionally, many still prefer to believe the romantic story.
Enter from Gate of the Palace→ Tour inside the Palace→ the First Lady’s Cafe →Exit the Palace
Take the Sightseeing Bus Line 6, and get off at Meilinggong Station.
Take bus 34 and get off at Boaiyuan Station.
Take Sightseeing Eastern Suburbs Bus 1 and get off at Zhongshanling Station.
Take Line 2 and get off at Xiamafang Station (下马坊站), and leave from Exit 2 and walk about 900 meters to the northeast to arrive at the palace.
Chinese: 请带我去美龄宫。English: Please take me to Mei-ling Palace.
If you go to the Mei-ling Palace from the center of Nanjing (like Xinjiekou Square), it takes about 21 minutes (about 25 yuan).
If you go to the Mei-ling Palace from Nanjing Lukou International Airport, it takes about 50 minutes (about 140 yuan).
If you go to the Mei-ling Palace from Nanjing South Station, it takes about 35 minutes (about 50 yuan).
0086 13801211578 
tours@chinatourstar.com 
Room 814, Building B, No.15 jia1hao, Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing,100024 China. 
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