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Qianling Mausoleum
乾陵 · Qian County, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China
The joint tomb of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, and Wu Zetian, built into the northern peak of Mount Liang; the stone sculptures of the spirit way and 61 statues of foreign envoys survive, and the main burial chamber has never been excavated.
Know before you go
- Climbing on or carving the stone sculptures
- climbing over fences into closed areas
- talking loudly inside the tomb chambers
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
Legend
The riddle of the Wordless Stele
The Wordless Stele is carved from a single block, about 7.5 m tall and weighing about 98 tonnes, yet no inscription was ever cut on its face. Explanations abound: one says Wu Zetian wished her merits and faults to be judged by later generations; another says Emperor Zhongzong could not decide whether to call her emperor or empress mother, so the text was put aside. From the Song and Jin onward, visitors carved their own inscriptions on it, including a Jin-dynasty text in Khitan small script alongside Chinese.
Source: Chinese Wikipedia: Wordless Stele of Qianling; Wikipedia: Qianling Mausoleum
History
The 61 envoy statues
The 61 statues outside the Vermilion Bird Gate represent chieftains and foreign envoys who submitted to the Tang, and their backs were once carved with their countries and names. The great Jiajing earthquake of 1556 damaged 60 of them, and most are now headless; by 2003 the identities of 36 had been confirmed.
Source: Chinese Wikipedia: Qianling; Wikipedia: Qianling Mausoleum
History
The chamber left unopened
In 1958 local farmers blasting rock accidentally exposed the entrance to Qianling's tomb passage. An excavation committee was set up in Shaanxi in 1960, but the plan was not approved by the State Council; Zhou Enlai wrote that "this can be left for later generations to complete", and work stopped. Because the passage is intact and no robbers' tunnels have been found, many experts believe Qianling is the only one of the eighteen Tang mausoleums never to have been robbed.
Source: Chinese Wikipedia: Qianling
Legend
Huang Chao and the tomb
Legend says that at the end of the Tang the rebel Huang Chao set a huge force to dig into Qianling, cutting a trench more than 40 m deep, yet never found the entrance. In the Five Dynasties, when Wen Tao's troops plundered the Tang imperial tombs, Qianling was again spared thanks to its solid construction.
Source: Chinese Wikipedia: Qianling
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Qianling stands on Mount Liang in Qian County, Xianyang, about 85 km northwest of Xi'an. Mount Liang has three peaks: the northern one is the highest, with the burial chamber beneath it, while the two lower southern peaks face each other east and west, forming a natural gateway into the precinct. The layout of the mausoleum imitates the Tang capital Chang'an. The spirit way runs about 4 km, lined in turn with ornamental columns, winged horses, ostriches, ceremonial horses with grooms, and statues of civil and military officials; on the spirit way stand the Wordless Stele to the east and the Stele of Sagely Achievements to the west, and outside the Vermilion Bird Gate are 61 statues of foreign envoys. Emperor Gaozong died in 683 and was buried at Qianling the following year; in 706 Emperor Zhongzong ordered Wu Zetian to be buried here with him, and the precinct was enlarged. There are 17 attendant tombs; by 2013 five had been excavated, including those of Princess Yongtai, Crown Prince Zhanghuai and Crown Prince Yide, yielding many artefacts and murals, and the Qianling Museum is housed at Princess Yongtai's tomb. Qianling was listed in 1961 among the first Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level; in 2012 the Shaanxi Administration of Cultural Heritage said the main tomb would not be excavated for at least 50 years. It is generally considered the best preserved main tomb of the eighteen Tang imperial mausoleums.
Local customs
- Walk the spirit way from south to north, taking in the stone sculptures, the twin steles and the envoy statues
- climb the northern peak of Mount Liang for a view over the precinct and the Qian County plain
- visit Princess Yongtai's tomb and other excavated attendant tombs and the Qianling Museum to see artefacts and murals and learn about Tang court life and burial customs.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Climbing on or carving the stone sculptures
- climbing over fences into closed areas
- talking loudly inside the tomb chambers
Locals appreciate DO
- Follow the open visitor routes
- keep quiet at the tomb sites
- keep a respectful distance from the stone sculptures when taking photos
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The precinct is large and hilly, so wear flat shoes
- protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated in summer, and dress against wind and cold in winter. Tickets and opening hours are as officially announced
- check the site's notices before you go. From Xi'an it is about an hour's drive northwest on the expressway to Qian County, then take local transport to the precinct
- you can also join a day trip from Xi'an. Check official and station information before travelling.
- Spring and autumn, with mild weather, are the best seasons
- summer light is good for photographing the sculptures
- winter has fewer visitors, but watch out for cold wind and icy paths.
Photos
Photos
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Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China · CC0
猫猫的日记本 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sources & verification notes
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