Newly restored Southern Song Dynasty palace unveiled in Hangzhou

The newly restored Deshou Palace, which also doubles as the Southern Song Dynasty Deshou Palace Ruins Museum, was officially unveiled on Friday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

The Deshou Palace, or the Palace of Morals and Longevity, was once the residence of Qin Hui, a notorious prime minister during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was later chosen by Emperor Gaozong, the founding emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), as his retreat palace, after he abdicated the throne in 1162. Emperor Xiaozong, Emperor Gaozong's successor, also lived in the palace between his leaving of the throne in 1189 and his death in 1194.