An artist's rendition of the replica

People can taste the daily life of China's ancient emperors at the Shanghai Expo.

Construction began yesterday on a replica of a palace for emperors of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) in the Puxi side of the Expo site.

The Qifengge Palace, literally meaning "a building for phoenix to live," was a side palace for 17 Tang emperors.

The replica will house the Urban Best Practices showcase of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province.

Historians got the full picture of the palace from diggings in the city, said Liu Lei, deputy chief planner for Xi'an's protection campaign for the Tang relics.

The historic city will share its experiences on protecting historic buildings inside the replica palace.

The city covered the relics, mostly foundations and pillars, with glass and set up signs to show how the construction looked a thousand years ago, Liu said.

The city also moved more than 1 million residents who were living where the Tang palace once stood and is turning the area into a 20-square-kilometer park, which will open in October 2010.

The replica palace will be moved to the park after the Expo, said Liu.

Construction of the palace is scheduled to be completed by the end of October.