A Comparative Research on the Iconography of the Imperial Palace of Shenyang and the Palace of Tianning Temple in Yangzhou

The residential attribute of the Imperial Palace of Shenyang during the middle and late Qing dynasty holds a pivotal position in its palace construction history. Serving as a significant palatial garden on the Eastern tour, the eastern, western sections along the middle road, as well as the western buildings of the Imperial Palace of Shenyang, show distinct cross-regional characteristics, evident in historical imagery. This paper compares the Imperial Palace of Shenyang with the Palace of Tianning Temple in Yangzhou from the perspectives of the eastern and southern tours. It endeavors to uncover evidence of cultural influence between Qianlong’s eastern and southern inspection tours through comparison of images, and explores the potential for correlated thinking in the linear layout of the palace, its garden-oriented tendencies, and the architectural arrangements of the libraries and stages.