Brief synthesisAs the royal residences of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties from the 15th to 20th century, the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang were the centre of State power in late feudal China. The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang was built between 1625 and 1637 by Nurgaci for the Nuzhen/Manchu forebears of the Qing Dynasty, which established itself in Beijing in 1644. The Imperial Palaces of Beijing and Shenyang were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987 and 2004 respectively. Criterion (i): The Imperial Palaces represent masterpieces in the development of imperial palace architecture in China. Protection and management requirementsThe Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties have been well protected in the past century.