In accordance with historical record, after Concubine Dongefei died, Emperor Shunzhi was extremely sorrowful and cost a lot for funeral of Dongefei. Even in the sorrow, Emperor altogether with eunuch and ladies in waiting cried aloud. It was said that Concubine Dongefei was a famous prostitute in Nanjing and used to perform on the riverside of Qinhuaihe River, where was the leisure center for scholars and well-educated youth. But due to the shortage of reference materials, such a story is just a legend that was widely spread in folk community.

Chengqiangong is one of the east six palaces in living zone of Forbidden City of Beijing. In 1420, it was completed and originally named Yongninggong (Palace of Eternal Tranquility). In August, 1632, it was finalized to be Chengqiangong. In 1655 it was rebuilt and in 1832 it was also partially restored. In Ming Dynasty, this palace was lived by Concubines and in Qing Dynasty; it was still the residence of concubines.

Additionally, Chengqiangong was not only famous for the pear flowers, but also a very heart-broken love story surrounding in the palaces over the past hundreds of years. In the early time of Qing Dynasty, Concubine Dongefei loved deeply by Emperor Shunzhi lived here. Here, Dongefei lived happily with Emperor Shunzhi in this pear-flower-blooming palace. Their romantic love story was even adored and spread by many famous poets or scholars such as Wu Meicun, a patriotic poet who wrote a lot of poems connected with love and patriotism.

In ancient China, theatergoing is the major amusement. During the time of diversities of festivals such as Spring Festival, Spring Begins, Lantern Festival, Double-Seven Day, Dragon-Boat Day, Middle-Autumn Festival, Double-Nine Day, Winter Begins, Emperor’s Enthronement and the Birthday Ceremony of Emperor and Empress, the royal members were always appreciated opera show here. There are many places for opera performance in Forbidden City: such as the theater stage between Taijidian(Hall of Supreme Principle) and Changchungong(Palace of Eternal Spring), Shufangzhai Theater Stage and so on, while the large-scale Changyinge(Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds) was specially used for opera performance on some great occasions. Majority of the performances belonging to Immortal Play show the peace and prosperity of the society. In terms of the reference record, during the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi, she used to appreciate the opera performance on some festive days with Emperor, Empress, Concubines as well as Prince and officials. In 1884, on the fiftieth birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi, in order to meet the need of Empress Dowager Cixi’s appreciation of opera performance, the consumption for costume and prop purchase is very big.

Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds(Changyinge)was in royal theater stage, and its full name is Grand Theater Stage of Changyinge(Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds) (Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds) in Ningshougong(Palace of Tranquil Longevity) of Forbidden City. It is located at the east side of Yangxindian(Hall of Mental Cultivation). In 1772 it was established and finished in 1776. In 1802 and 1891, it was reconstructed for two times. Changyinge(Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds) was the largest theater stage in Forbidden City. Equally famous with Grand Theater Stage of Deheyuan in Summer Palace, which was built in accordance with Changyinge(Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds), as well as Grand Theater Stage of Qingyinge in Summer Resort of Chengde.

Palace of Eternal Spring(Changchungong)and Qixianggong since then connected together. In front of the palace, a pair of copper tortoises and a pair of copper cranes was there. The east subsidiary palace was named Suishoudian and west subsidiary palace was named Chengxidian. There are also 18 large-scale wall paintings themed with the stories of The Dream of Red Mansion, which belongs to the works of late Qing Dynasty. Changchungong(Palace of Eternal Spring) is the living palace of concubines in Ming and Qing dynasties.

Palace of Eternal Spring(Changchungong)is one of west six palaces in inner living zone of Forbidden city and it was finished in 1420, originally named Changchungong(Palace of Eternal Spring), in 1535 it was renamed Yongninggong but in 1615 it was named Changchungong(Palace of Eternal Spring) once again. In 1683, it was restored and later on it also experienced a lot of restorations. In 1859, it gate of Changchungong(Palace of Eternal Spring) was dismantled and the back hall of Taijidian was changed to be chuantangdian, and Emperor Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty wrote three Chinese Characters”体元殿” for it.

On the 1, October in lunar calendar, the government would issue the next-year calendar. On the successful returning day of the troops, government also would hold the huge rite or ceremony for the military showing their prisoners of war to Emperor. By the way, the officials or officers used to take the governmental beating as punishment here. Initially, such a beating punishment was slight but later on it gradually became the death penalty, and many unwise officials or officers were beaten to death here.

Wumen (The Meridian Gate) was also the place for emperor to issue the imperial rescript. On some special occasions, Emperor would do some special declarations to all the country. On the day of Spring Begins (one for 24 Lunar periods in China), Emperor would present Spring Cake here; on the day of Dragon-Boat Festival (the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, Officially falling on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the Dragon Boat Festival is also known as Double Fifth Day. While many stories regarding its origin abound, the most popular and widely accepted version regards Qu Yuan, a minister during the Warring States Period (475 221 BC)), Emperor would present cooling cake; on the day of the Double-Ninth Festival, Emperor would be here to present Flower Cake. 

The west-side gate was used only for entry and exit for princes and top-level officials, who were always the relatives of Emperors. Two subsidiary gates were only opened for large-scale events or ceremonies. The middle of the Wumen is a tower with 60.5 meters long and 25 meters wide, and belongs to the style of Double-Eave Wudian Roof. At both sides, there are bell tower and drum tower. On the day that the emperor went to Temple of Heaven and Temple of Earth for greeting prayer, the bell and drum would be sounded at the same time. Striking bell and striking drum were usually done in different occasions. The drum was only stricken when emperor went to show worshipping in Imperial Ancestral Temple, while Bell and Drum were both stricken when some large movements were done. The whole architecture of Wumen looks like the unfolding-wing phoenixes; hence Wumen is also called Five-Phoenix Tower (五凤楼).

In the middle place, three gates are opened and two sides there are also two relatively small-sized gates. Why did the ancient people open door like this? It is just because of the tradition of Three Vivid Gates and Five Subsidiary Gates. Two sides of the dais, there are the horsing way for going upstairs and downstairs. Five gates play the different roles. Emperor exclusively used the middle one, and there is also an exception for others to use. That is on the marriage day of Emperor, Empress, who was the wife of emperor, was qualified to go through this gate via sedan chair. Besides, top-three winners of Imperial Face-to-Face Examination in Forbidden City were qualified to go out the palaces through this gate.