Puppet Emperor's Palace (伪满皇宫)

The Puppet Emperor's Palace in Changchun, Jilin province, was the residence and office of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, during his time as head of state of the Japanese-controlled puppet state of Manchukuo. The compound occupies the former Salt Gabelle administration site on Guangfu North Road and was adapted in 1932, when Changchun was renamed Xinjing and made the capital. Puyi lived there from 1932 until August 1945, first as chief executive and from 1934 as emperor, under the close supervision of the Japanese Kwantung Army. The palace is divided into an Outer Court, where official business was done, and an Inner Court, the private living quarters. Key buildings include the Jixi Building, the Qingyin Pavilion in the Inner Court garden, the Tongde Hall used for ceremonies, and the Jiquan and Huanbi buildings. The rooms have been restored to their 1930s appearance, with period furniture, Western-style fittings alongside Chinese decoration, and details such as Puyi's study, bedrooms and the imperial family's quarters. There is also an air-raid shelter and a tennis court added during the occupation. After 1945, the palace was damaged during the civil war and later served other functions. It was opened as the Puppet Manchukuo Imperial Palace Museum in 1962 and has since been extensively restored. The exhibits are arranged around the palace buildings, with the Inner Court showing daily life, and the Outer Court showing political history and the Japanese occupation. Interpretation is mainly in Chinese. A visit typically takes two to three hours, and the compound is within walking distance of other Manchukuo-era sites in the city.