Shenyang Things to Do

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I think it's a worthwhile visit despite its smaller scale and less importance as compared to Beijing. The standard sights like emperor / empress rooms are well preserved and out of the grimy reach of tourists.

The streets outside the palace are lined with souvenir shops. Grab a roasted sweet potato from the mobile vendor to warm your frozen hands.

Chinese name: 沈阳华臣影城（华府店）

This movie theater often shows English films and features 3D cinema. I've been there twice, in January and July 2010, the first was to see a 3D film, the second a standard film. The staff does not speak English. Both times, the movie screen seemed dim, making darker moments of the film harder to see. For this reason, there may be better plays to see a movie in Shenyang.

Address: 辽宁省沈阳市沈河区哈尔滨路118号, China

Beiling park is the largest public recreation center in the city of Shenyang and also a huge green woods in the northern part of the city. Because it has been a royal tomb for the second emperor of Qing Dynasty, the style of the park always imitate the traditional constructure.

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The park is at eastern part of the city which plants tens of thousands of willows on both side of the river and get the name of "Wanliutang". It's really a charming place during the summer time, especially during the evening, people after the supper could have a nice free walking.

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It's the entrance of the city of Shenyang. After your airliner lands on Shenyang Taoxian Airport, you could take taxi to go to the downtown. When you cross the Hun He river and on the bridge, you will see these beautiful landscapes. They are really latest built by the people who is getting richer here.

Mukden Allied POW Camp run by the Japanese during World War ‡U is characterized as having had a high death rate, being professionally and permanently built, and having interned high ranking officials of the Allied forces.

now, remains of the camp are only one dormitory building and a water tower. it will be preserved in the future as a memorials.

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When we think of Imperial Palace, our mind automatically focuses on Beijing. However, many people do not know that the first Imperial Palace in China was constructed in Shenyang. The Imperial Palace in Shenyang is tiny compared to the one in the capital. Both of them have a lot in common in terms of its architecture and design. Shenyang's Imperial City is usually packed with local tourists. When I was there, I did not see many international tourists.

My suggestion is that if you are visiting China and you have extra time, you should visit this place. Otherwise, the Forbidden City in Beijing would be more than enough.

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This Imperial Palace was home to the powers that be of the Qing dynasty, before they succeeded in breaking through the Great Wall of China and moving into Han-controlled China (Ming dynasty), during Emperor Tongzhi's (the 3rd Qing dynasty emperor) reign.
It may sound strange, but although it's smaller and doesn't look as well-restored as the Forbidden City, the feeling was more authentic. It also costs a little more, but it's much less crowded and the atmosphere is more dignified. Overall a much better experience. This's the main reason for my visiting Shenyang twice in 2 years!
There's a bronze model 1/10th of the size of the signature hall (called Da4 Zheng4 Dian4 = Great Administrative Hall) at the west part of the Imperial Palace, on display in a hall behind that one. Completed in December 2006 by a Shenyang craftsman, it weighs a whopping 3 tons!
If you read Chinese, there's an interesting comparison between the architecture of Shenyang's Imperial Palace and Beijing's Forbidden City. Also, there's a leaflet that you can buy at the ticket office for 5 RMB (IIRC) that has detailed information about the history and architecture.
Still 50 RMB for the Imperial Palace, no inflation since 2005. No student price available. In comparison, the (bigger) Forbidden City in Beijing costs 40 RMB (20 RMB for students). Maybe Grandpa costs more to upkeep?