City Guide: Shenyang

     Fancy those stories about magic transformations from ''ugly ducking'' to attractive?

     When one Catholic missionary were asked about life in Shenyang in the early 1919, he said ''...ancient and dusty, with nothing especially attractive". If he could make an assessment of Shenyang today, he would eat his words as the city not only managed to retain its sense of self, but prettified it.

     You should come and see the recent change for yourself. Be it a room in cheap hotel in Shenyang or luxury one we have them all at Booked.net. Our hotel listings include maps, photos and secure forms.

     Originally shaped from mud and industrial dust, the city of Shenyang was reinvigorated only several years ago. It breathed life into its shabby cityscape to prettify its appearance and jumped on the bandwagon of antipollution to win the title of "National Environmental Protection Model City".

     Living its new life, Shenyang is still an influential industrial city. Sitting in the very center of Liaoning Province, Shenyang specializes mainly in software and auto manufacturing, but only a decade before was a hotbed for heavy industries. The 1980s pushed the city forward and today Shenyang is a service-oriented destination with developed banking in the area.

     Apart from business, Shenyang is a bustling city to explore on the sightseeing tour. Attractions include;

- Mukden Palace, an Imperial Palace built in 1625

- Zhaoling, a tomb of the second Qing emperor, Huang Taiji was built in the 17^th century

- Mao Zedong's Statue, the largest of its kind in China

- Liaoning Provincial Museum traces the Liaoning history from the early years to the Qing dynasty

- Shengjing Ancient Cultural Street dates back to the 17^th century and reflects the architecture of that time

     From the early years Shenyang was of big interest in China because of its strategic location. The setting lifted it to the prominence of industrial hub and placed the seat of the Qing dynasty there. The royal pedigree started in the city from Jurchen founders of Qing, but has lasted for 19 years. The change came with the turn of the 20^th century when the city swapped government for warlord Zhang Zuolin's rule. His leadership ended in 1928 and afterwards the city drifted without leadership in the area.

     Throughout its history Shenyang often changed hands, fell a victim to several wartime attacks, but managed to retain its initial core. For this it won the regional fame of the pride of the northern China that makes it a remarkable city to visit with Booked.net.