Shenyang Attractions - Things to Do

One of China's premier tourist cities, Shenyang is well known as a historical city with important links to Chinese culture. Natural and historical attractions combine to provide an enjoyable travel experience.

Mukden Palace - Shenyang Imperial Palace
The first on the must-go attractions list of Shenyang is the Mukden Palace. This palace is the second only to the Forbidden City in the extent of its preservation in Beijing.

Zhaoling Tomb (North Mausoleum)
Construction on this 350-year-old structure began in 1643. Zhaoling Mausoleum combines both Manchu and Han architectural characteristics.

Fuling Mausoleum
Begun in 1629, Fuling Mausoleum is a typical imperial tomb built in a traditional style. This magnificent tomb, which was finished in 1651, has been well maintained.
 

Qipanshan Scenic Area
Located in the eastern part of Shenyang City, Qipanshan Scenic Area consists of three main hills, a beautiful lake and other amazing natural sights. It is a very good place to experience a real winter, because Qipanshan Scenic Area is the home of the Shenyang International Ice & Snow Festival.

 Shenyang Glacier Zoological Paradise
The paradise is located at the Mt. Qipanshan Forest Wild Animal Zoo, having an area of 240 hectares. It is a new-brand theme park, where travelers and animals can join for fun. 

The Strange Slope Scenic Area (Guaipo)
If you stop a car at the foot of this slope, you will be surprised to find that the car will roll up to the top of the slope without any outside force. If you ride a bike, you will deeply sense the uniqueness of this slope. The bike will quickly slip to the top without pedaling, while you have to ride hard to get from the top to the bottom of the slope.

Botanical Garden
More than 1,700 kinds of plants, including azaleas and tulips, can be found in Shenyang Botanical Garden. Some of the flower exhibitions held every year in the garden are the tulip exhibition in May, the peony exhibition in June, and the lily exhibition in July. It's an excellent place to enjoy the arrival of spring and the site for the 2006 International Horticultural Exposition.

 Shenyang Xinglong Indoor Park
The amusement park is located in the city center area and it is the only indoor green garden and entertainment park in the city.

Meteorite Mountain Park
This attraction is the place to see meteorites. The heaviest one, which fell to earth about 1.9 billion years ago, weighs about 2,000,000 tons and is thought to be 4.5 billion years old, making it the oldest meteorite in the world.

Shenyang West Lake
Shenyang West Lake is located in Qiandangbu Town of Xinmin City, about 40km (25mi) from Shenyang city center. Though not as famous as the West Lake in Hangzhou, it is also a poetic land endowed with natural beauty and unique charm.

Covering an area of almost 667 ha, one-fifth of which is covered water lilies, this vast lake presents unaffected scenery, making you feel fresh and relaxed. Countless reeds extend far into the distance, interspersed with masses of pink water lilies. Reed catkins are as white as snow flakes. Boating among the water lilies brings you great joy. All the pleasant view wins the honor of No. 1 Water Lilies Town in China.

Like a huge emerald, the lake is green and clear. You can watch fish swim delightedly in the water. In summer, the light pink water lilies bloom all over the lake and send out a delicate fragrance with the gentle breeze. Sitting in the pavilion on the zigzag bridge, you will feel as if transported to the poetic watery villages on the southern bank of the Yangtze River.

Xinle Remains
Xinle Remains is the site of a 7,200-year-old aboriginal society in which authority was held by women. Of all the relics unearthed at the site, a woodcarving of a bird is the most famous and precious, because it is the oldest such relic found not only in Shenyang but in the entire world.

Taiqing Palace
Originally built in 1663, Taiqing Palace, which houses the Shenyang Taoism Association, is the center of Taoism in Northeast China.

Ci'en Temple
The most important site in Shenyang for Buddhists is Ci'en Temple, which was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is now the center for the Shenyang Buddhism Association.

Shisheng Temple
In 1636, Shisheng Temple was built to the specifications of an emperor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1919), therefore it is also called Huang Temple (Royal Temple). It is the largest temple of Tibetan Buddhism in the city.

South Mosque
Located at Xiaoxi Road of Shenhe District, Shenyang South Mosque is the largest Islamic mosque in Shenyang, with an area of 7,482 sq m (8,948 sq yd) and the most prestigious one in northeastern China. Although the exact year of construction is unknown, it is sure that it has already existed before the throne period of Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Tie Shuaiwu, a general who made outstanding military exploits for the Qing Dynasty, spent his money to build this mosque.

Facing east, the mosque is a quadrangle courtyard complex centered by the prayer hall. The main architecture includes Main Hall, Prayer Hall, Moon Sighting Tower, and Rear Hall. The Moon Sighting Tower measures 98 feet high and has three floors. Other buildings include the north and south lecture halls, tea room and shower rooms, all of which are decorated with typically religious and ethnic motifs.

The south mosque has become an Islamic center in Shenyang. It holds grand religious events each time there is any Islamic festival like Corban Festival. It is also a place which frequently receives visitors from Islamic countries. 

  Nanguan Christian Church
Nanguan Christian Church, with a big cross on its roof, is a Gothic style cathedral supported by 24 granite buttresses. The sanctuary can hold over1, 000 worshipers.

Banruo Temple
In 1684, Buddhist monk Gulin set up Banruo Temple. It was small at first, but expansion and renovation have brought it to its current size. It contains halls, a storage area for Buddhist books, and other areas of interest.

September 18th Historical Museum
On 18th, September, 1931, Japan launched an unprovoked invasion of Shenyang. This event was considered the prelude to the Anti-Japanese War. After occupying the city and most of Dongbei (northeastern part of China), the Japanese invaders maintained a ruthless rule over the area for fourteen years. September 18th Historical Museum is located in Liutiaohu District, the site of the initial attack. The building, which is in the shape of open calendar, houses thousands of pictures, video materials, statues and other reminders of the Japanese atrocities.

Museum of Zhang Xueliang Former Residence
As its name implies, this museum memorializes Zhang Xueliang (1901-2001), a very famous patriot of the Anti-Japanese War. The house consists of a school room, garden, drawing room, and other areas erected in a mixture of Chinese, European and Japanese styles.

Steam Engine Exhibition Center
The Shenyang Steam Engine Exhibition Center is the first of its kind in China. Sixteen steam engines from America, Japan, Russia, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia and China are presented in this museum. It is a good place to learn about the history of steam engines all over the world.

Liaoning Provincial Museum
Northeast Museum is another name for Liaoning Provincial Museum. Tens of thousands of cultural relics are stored in the museum, creating a fascinating display of the history of Liaoning Province. Many of the items included in the collections are among the rarest in the world.


​Further Reading: Top 10 Things to Do in Shenyang