Shenyang is a burgeoning city in northeast China and the capital of Liaoning Province. It is the largest city in the region, has plenty of history and although remote, is straightforward to get to and has good shopping.
Shengjing Ancient Cultural Street is a must-see for tourists. It harbors Shenyang Lu Imperial Palace, while Zhongshan Square in Heping District has a Mao Zedong statue that ranks as the largest in China. Liaoning Provincial Museum is also worth a look for its massive collection of art.
Those in Shenyang for the shopping will find two main areas: Zhong Jie and Taiyuan Jie. Zhong Jie is good for phones and computers. Shenyang also has many mega hotels and swanky restaurants.
Slightly out of town are the North (Beita), East (Nanta), South (Dongta), and West (Xita) pagodas. They all lie around four kilometers from town and were built in the 17th century. The Imperial Palace lies smack in between them. Farther afield are three ski resorts.
Getting There#
Shenyang Taoxian International Airport is the main airport in town with flights arriving here from Beijing, Seoul, and Pyongyang. Beijing is 650kms away along the six-lane Jingshen Expressway. Dalian on the south coast is connected by the eight-lane Shenda Expressway. Travel time by train and bus from Beijing is 8 hours.
Things to Do#
Shenyang Attractions
- Zhongshan Square
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The main focal point of shenyang features a massive mao zedong statue, the largest in the country.
Side trips from Shenyang
- Royal Ocean World
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Located off shenfu highway on the way to fushun, this fun place has an extensive collection of marine creatures.
Events
- Shenyang International Tourism Festival
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A september event featuring a show of traditional heritage coupled with modern floats.
Capital city of Liaoning province and hailed as the birthplace of the Qing Dynasty, Shenyang dates back 2,000 years and is blessed with a variety of structures evidencing this. Visitors coming to the city invariably have cultural interests and few leave disappointed. A loosely developed visitor infrastructure allows the city to accommodate and feed its visiting population without compromising any of its appeals.
Shenyang Imperial Palace is undoubtedly the city’s greatest draw card and the most tangible embodiment of its fascinating history. Construction of this ancient masterpiece started in 1624 and concluded in 1636, but the 12-year period is understandable when you see its size and appreciate that it features over 100 buildings. Among other cultural sites, Zhao Tomb and the Fu Tomb are also noteworthy.
Guaipo, or the Strange Slope, is a natural phenomenon found in the city that draws its fair share of visitors. Essentially an incline running over 80 meters, Guaipo presents a bizarre anti-gravity effect that requires those going down it to accelerate and those going up it to expend very little in the way of effort. Try it on foot or by bicycle and you’ll be struggling to believe that there aren’t manmade forces at large!
Highlights
Shenyang Imperial Palace: dating back to the 17th century, covering a whopping 60,000 square meters and featuring over 100 separate buildings, this is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of Shenyang’s list of attractions.
Guaipo: the bizarre anti-gravity properties of this slope will have you seriously scratching your head.
Zhao Tomb: otherwise known as the North Tomb, this is the final resting place of Qing Taizong Huangtaiji and his wife Boerjit.
Fu Tomb: Qing Taizu Nurhaci and his wife Yehelana are buried on-site, also known as the East Tomb.
Shenyang Botanical Gardens: expect to get a soaking as you try crossing all 50 of the suspended bridges which cross the shallow stream here.