Shenyang Imperial Palace is one of the only two grand palaces left in China, second only to the Forbidden City in Beijing in size. It was built entirely by the Manchus, and thus, has distinctive Manchurian architecture.

Shenyang, a heavy industrial city in Northeast China, was the original capital of China's last feudal dynasty, Qing dynasty. The palace was first built in 1625, during the time of the first king of Qing, Nurhachi. When the king died, his son, Huangtaiji, continued and completed the work. After the troops of Qing conquered the Great Wall, the governor of Qing moved their capital to Beijing.

The Palace grounds had several parts. The east part of the palace included Dazheng Hall and the Ten-prince Pavilion. Dazheng Hall was the place where the King handled daily affairs and the Ten-prince Pavilion was the office for important officials. These are actually pavilions that very much resemble the tents that Manchu people used.

There can be found many aspects of Manchurian culture within the Palace. In the middle part of the palace, there stands a wooden pole with a plate on top of it. This used to contain food for crows which were believed to have once saved the life of Qing Nurhachi in his flight from enemies. Also, in keeping with Manchurian style, the ceilings of the living quarters are taller than the ones in the halls of the courts.

The palace was enlarged and improved over the years and it also incorporated some Han, Tibetan and Mongolian architectural styles.