He Shen, a prominent figure in Chinese history, is famously known as the “Most Notorious Corrupt Official in the World” during the Qing Dynasty. The reason He Shen could act so brazenly was due to the favoritism he received from Emperor Qianlong, who granted him the title of “one below the emperor and above all others”, implicitly allowing him to engage in corruption.
He Shen was not only known for hoarding wealth; he became a figure of respect in later generations because this great official was also known for his lavish lifestyle and willingness to spend. Just by looking at the Prince’s Mansion—the residence personally built by He Shen—we can understand why he earned the nickname “Most Notorious Corrupt Official in the World.”
The wealth of He Shen is evident in the grandeur of the Prince’s Mansion that he personally constructed. (Photo: Baidu)
The Mansion of He Shen was built in the 40th year of the Qianlong reign. At that time, He Shen personally purchased a plot of land with excellent feng shui within the capital to create a residence named “He Di.” According to feng shui experts, this mansion was constructed along the Qianhai Lake and behind the Houhai Lake (both large lakes located in the Northeast of the Forbidden City), situated on the dragon vein of the Qing Dynasty.
The grounds of the Prince’s Mansion spanned an area of up to 60,000m2, featuring a large lake surrounded by rare trees and flowers collected from various regions. Each artificial mountain within the estate housed treasures intended to ward off misfortune. He Shen even had multi-story pavilions built on these artificial hills for enjoying the scenery and reading. The path to the pavilion is a level corridor with a gentle slope, symbolizing He Shen’s smooth path to success.
Rumors suggest that He Shen was even wealthier than Qianlong, which is why his mansion is considered one of the most beautiful estates in China. Everything used in the construction of this residence was made from premium materials of that time.
The mansion of He Shen was built from rare, high-quality materials. (Photo: Baidu)
For instance, every column in the mansion was made from rare, thousand-year-old Jinan gold silk wood, a type of precious wood unique to China. Not only is it rare, but Jinan gold silk wood is also the top tier among the four famous woods (which include cedar, sandalwood, ironwood, and rosewood).
The Jinan gold silk wood originates from natural mutations that occurred between 2,000 to tens of thousands of years ago due to floods and earthquakes. It was subsequently buried under mud, and under the influence of microorganisms in low-oxygen, high-pressure conditions, it transformed into “coalified wood.”
When exposed to sunlight, Jinan gold silk wood emits a sparkling golden hue, with its fibers clearly visible. This type of wood also has a delicate fragrance, is waterproof, is resistant to pests, and does not rot, making it a symbol of nobility in feudal society. A large piece of Jinan gold silk wood is extremely rare, and only the royal family and nobility were allowed to use it in ancient times.
Experts estimate that one column in He Shen’s mansion is worth nearly 9.5 trillion VND. (Photo: Baidu)
Despite this, He Shen used this rare wood exclusively for building his mansion. According to archaeologists, the wooden elements in the Prince’s Mansion are indeed high-end items with a history of over 100 years, so the value of each Jinan gold silk wood column has now reached 2.7 billion yuan (approximately 9.5 trillion VND). It can be said that the amount of silver He Shen spent to construct this mansion is nearly impossible to quantify.
