Palace of Univrsal Happiness (Xianfu gong)

Located in the Area of Six Western Palaces (Xi liugong qu), the Palace of Universal Happiness (Xianfu gong) was originally called the Palace of Peaceful Longevity (Shouan gong) yet later changed into the current name during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566) in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

This palace forms symmetrical counterparts with the Palace of Great Brilliance (Jingyang gong), both with yellow glazed-tile hipped roof. It is ranked higher than other palaces in the Six Western Palaces Area. Besides serving as dwellings for empress, consorts and concubines, the emperor could sometimes live here as well. The Jiaqing Emperor (r. 1796-1820) observed mourning for the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795) in this palace, so did the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1851-1861) for the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1821-1850).
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