Eastern and Western Qing Tombs

Background

The Eastern Qing Tombs are in Zunhua, Tangshan, Hebei, about 125 km northeast of Beijing, ringed by Changrui Mountain and other hills; the Western Qing Tombs are in Yi County, Baoding, Hebei, about 140 km southwest of Beijing. The Eastern Qing Tombs are among the largest, most complete and best-preserved mausoleum complexes surviving in China. Centred on the Shunzhi Emperor's Xiaoling, they hold 5 emperors (Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng and Tongzhi), 15 empresses, 136 imperial consorts, 3 princes and 2 princesses, and the Eastern Dingling tombs of the empresses dowager Cixi and Ci'an are here too. Qianlong's Yuling burial chamber lies about 54 m deep, with 9 vaulted chambers separated by 4 stone doors, carved all over with Buddhist imagery and more than 30,000 words of Tibetan scripture and Sanskrit; the Long'en Hall of Cixi's tomb is built of precious red wood. The Western Qing Tombs comprise 4 imperial tombs, the Yongzheng Emperor's Tailing, the Jiaqing Emperor's Changling, the Daoguang Emperor's Muling and the Guangxu Emperor's Chongling, with 78 people buried in all, including the 4 emperors and their empresses, consorts, princes and princesses. Tailing was completed in 1737 and is the earliest imperial tomb here; Daoguang first built his tomb at the Eastern site but moved to the Western Tombs after water seeped into the burial chamber; Guangxu's Chongling is the last Qing imperial tomb, where Empress Dowager Longyu is also buried, and its burial chamber is now open. The last emperor, Puyi, lies in a commercial cemetery behind Chongling, which is not formally part of the Western Tombs. Both sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000. The Eastern and Western Tombs are the Qing tombs from after the conquest of China proper, a separate system from the pre-conquest "Three Shengjing Tombs" such as the Zhaoling and Fuling in Shenyang; the Xianfeng Emperor's Dingling at the Eastern Tombs merely shares its name with the Wanli Emperor's Dingling at the Ming Tombs.

Local customs

• At the Eastern Qing Tombs, walk the Xiaoling Sacred Way past the stone figures and palace halls, then enter the Yuling and Cixi burial chambers to see the stone carvings and scripture
• at the Western Qing Tombs, walk the Tailing Sacred Way, then visit Muling and the Chongling burial chamber to see how the two sites differ in their layouts and rules.

Travel tips

• The Eastern and Western Qing Tombs lie in Zunhua and Yi County respectively, with separate tickets, open tombs and guide services, so do not mix them up when planning
• both sites are large, so allow at least half a day for each. Open burial chambers, tickets and opening hours are as announced by the official sources.
• From central Beijing you can take a long-distance coach or drive to Zunhua or to Yi County
• check official sources for services. Spring and autumn bring lush trees and soft light, ideal for long walks along the Sacred Ways
• in summer protect yourself from sun and heat
• in winter the open tomb grounds are windy, so dress warmly.