The Liao Tombs of Mount Yiwu

The Liao Tombs of Mount Yiwu

The Liao Tombs of Mount Yiwu are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Six kilometers northwest of the ancient city of Beizhen lies Longgangzi Village in Futun Township. Here rest two grandsons of Emperor Jingzong (Yelü Xian), the fifth ruler of the Liao Dynasty, as well as the nephew and niece-in-law of Emperor Shengzong (Yelü Longxu)—namely Yelü Zongzheng, Empress Guo, and Yelü Zongyun. The tomb of Yelü Zongyun has been backfilled, while the joint tomb of Yelü Zongzheng and Empress Guo has been opened to the public, attracting a continuous stream of visitors.

Though there is no definitive evidence that Longgangzi is a "dragon-burial site" (in ancient times, emperors were called the "true dragon sons of Heaven"), the place features many dragon-related names. The entire mountain village is surrounded on three sides by undulating green peaks, with only the east side serving as an exit leading to the main road of the ancient city. On the southwestern peak of the village, there is a massive rock that was split into two halves in unknown times by unknown people, resembling the two gates of a fortress. Two stone formations shaped like dragon heads sit atop the "gates," facing each other, hence called the Dragon Gate. The village’s hundreds of households are divided into northern and southern banks by a small river that never dries up year-round, known as the Dragon Stream. Downstream to the east of the village, the river slows and swirls in a hollow, referred to as the Big Dragon Bay. Later, villagers built a dam to regulate the river flow for irrigating fruit trees and farmland in dry seasons, naming the reservoir the Dragon Gate Reservoir. At the site of the current elementary school, there were originally two large, round earthen mounds facing each other, said to represent two dragons playing with a pearl. Even more interestingly, on clear early mornings, when standing at the Dragon Gate Reservoir and looking toward the encircling mountains of Longgangzi, the peaks resemble a giant dragon swaying its head and tail as if ready to soar into the sky. A national archaeologist, upon seeing this breathtaking landscape, exclaimed spontaneously: "This is an ideal dragon vein land!" In ancient times, the Khitan people feared losing their feng shui, so they built twin pagodas in a distant county in Shandong to try to "lock" the dragon vein and secure the lasting prosperity of the Liao Dynasty. While this may be the romanticized reflection of a scholar, it does highlight that this is indeed a feng shui treasure land. Empress Dowager Chengtian Xiao Yanyan once brought her son (Emperor Shengzong Yelü Longxu) here to worship at the imperial tombs and ancestral temples, paying homage to the former residence and library of Yelü Bei. She had a magnificent temple, Cisheng Temple, constructed in the middle of Longgangzi Village. Four kilometers to the west lies Liuli Temple, and two to four kilometers away are the residence of the beauty Gao and the library of Yelü Bei. Although the original structure of the temple no longer exists, its three main halls still stand. In October of the fourth year of Emperor Jingzong's Qianheng era (982 AD), Empress Dowager Chengtian buried Emperor Jingzong in the southeastern part of the ancestral mausoleum, naming it Qianling. In November, she established Qianzhou (the ruins of which are located 500 meters south of Beizhen Temple) to enshrine Qianling.

In 1970, during the digging of an air-raid shelter, the joint tomb of Yelü Zongzheng and Empress Guo, along with the tomb of his brother Yelü Zongyun, was discovered on the northern slope of Longgangzi Village. The two tombs lie parallel, 30 meters apart. Yelü Zongzheng’s joint tomb is an ancient arched tomb constructed with blue bricks, with its inner walls inlaid with fragrant cypress wood (which was later used by the then Fourth Production Brigade to make rafters for six houses). The coffins and burial objects inside had long been looted, leaving only two epitaphs that recorded the lives and burial locations of the deceased. The entire tomb complex covers an area of 200 square meters, is 7 meters deep, and 9 meters wide, with side chambers on both sides. A gold bracelet was found among the wooden and earth remains, but nothing else. The tomb has since been restored and opened to the public.

Around Yelü Zongzheng’s tomb, traces of past tomb robberies can be found—pits and holes remain on the surface, which seem unable to be filled no matter how much rainwater flows down the slope during the rainy season. Villagers suspect these might be the remnants of larger tombs. However, because the surface is covered with fruit trees and residential houses, excavation is not easy, leaving the mystery unresolved to this day.

Tomb robberies in the Liao tombs were not limited to one case. Historical records state: "In May of the second year of the Tianfu era of Jin Taizu (1118 AD, the eighth year of the Tiangqing era of Liao), Jin troops led by Shen Du breached the city first, burned down Buddhist temples, and looted the Xian and Qian prefectures before returning." And again: "In May of the fourth year of the Tianfu era of Jin Taizu (1120 AD), Jin troops captured Xianzhou (the county seat of Shandong), burning the Ningshen Hall, Anyuan Holy Mother Hall, and the portrait halls of Liao imperial concubines and princes, completely destroying them, then dug for treasures to sever the dragon vein." Later, some claimed that after capturing the county seat of Shandong (now Beizhen City), the Jin troops declared a three-day holiday, setting fire to the Great Buddha Temple, with flames visible from miles away.

Villagers of Longgangzi have continuously discovered Liao tombs and burial artifacts. In 1952, a villager named Liu Huining unearthed a phoenix-shaped headdress—believed to be a royal consort’s headpiece—while digging beneath a stone slab. Then, in 1991, while building a pigsty beside his house, he discovered an approximately 20-square-meter empty tomb chamber built with tightly fitted blue bricks. The tomb door was guarded by two stone carvings of a boy and a girl, and the inner walls were painted with colored murals. It also had side chambers, largely similar to Yelü Zongzheng’s tomb. About 30 meters west of the village government office, several stone human and horse statues were found, believed to be decorations along the sacred path in front of the imperial mausoleum. Yellow-green glazed tiles and patterned blue bricks used in tomb construction can still be found scattered around. While these findings do not confirm that Qianling is in Longgangzi, they offer valuable clues for further research. Coupled with the epitaphs from the joint tomb of Yelü Zongzheng and Empress Guo, the mystery is bound to be solved.

A mountain away to the north of Longgangzi Village lies Xinli Village in Futun Township, commonly known as Sandao Gou, a branch range on the eastern foothills of Mount Yiwu. In 1970, while digging air-raid shelters, villagers dug about 100 meters westward along the western edge of Cherry Valley and discovered city (or tomb) border walls built with large blue bricks, which were later ordered to stop by the government. Today, on this land, about 100 meters apart vertically, there are two large circular pits, each with a diameter of approximately 15–20 meters. Surrounding the pits, on terraced fields, embankments, and along paths, red and green glazed tiles and patterned Liao bricks used in construction are scattered everywhere. This area is a flat orchard at the foot of Camel Peak. Based on historical records stating that Emperor Jingzong was buried "in the southeastern part of the ancestral mausoleum, named Qianling," some speculate that Longgangzi, located south of Xinli Village and southeast of Liuli Temple—about four kilometers away—along with the discovered bricks and tiles of Liao tombs, may indicate the location of Xianling.

Lion Rock (Xinli Carvings)

According to experts, this watchtower was likely built to guard the Liao imperial tombs. It is a cultural relic protection unit of Jinzhou City and remains well-preserved. Located east of Xinli Village, it naturally forms an isolated peak, with steep cliffs on the east, west, and south sides, accessible only from the north. In its heyday, a watchtower was constructed on this peak, requiring climbers to ascend two ramps and pass through two stone gates to reach the top. Behind the tower are three stone guard rooms facing south, adjacent to which is a cliff inscribed with a temple featuring two Buddha halls facing north—one housing a seated Buddha flanked by two Bodhisattvas, with an attendant statue on each side. Though eroded by centuries of wind and rain, the carvings’ lines remain distinct, the figures dignified, and the craftsmanship smooth, representing guardian deities worshipped at the time. The tower was originally surrounded by brick walls and battlements. From its vantage point, the county town to the southeast is fully visible, with the Twin Pagodas, Drum Tower, and Wanzi Mountain all in sight. The county town is four kilometers away. To the northwest, one can see all the way to Wanghai Peak, and the main road through Tongshan is entirely visible from the watchtower. Perched high with steep cliffs on all sides, it was easily defensible. At the lower southern part of the watchtower lies a massive rock shaped like a charging lion, hence the name Lion Rock Watchtower.

Cisheng Temple

Built during the Liao Dynasty and located in the middle of Longgang Village, it originally served as the lodging site for Empress Dowager Chengtian of the Liao Dynasty (Yelü Zongzheng’s grandmother, Empress Xiao), who came to Mount Yiwu with her son Emperor Shengzong and descendants for ancestral worship. From here, one could visit Liuli Temple to pay respects at the ancestral shrine and admire the library of Yelü Bei and the residence of the beauty Gao. This temple was grand and luxurious in scale. The entire complex included not only living quarters for rest but also storage rooms for incense, candles, and ritual offerings, as well as spaces for attendants and vehicles. It was a large courtyard complex facing east, with north and south side halls. The main hall housed two Bodhisattva statues. Though the Buddha statues are now gone, the murals in the three remaining main halls are still preserved. There were originally two stone steles in the temple—one commemorating its Ming Dynasty renovation and another erected during its reconstruction in the 49th year of the Kangxi reign.

For thousands of years, the feng shui-rich Futun Township that cradled these imperial tombs has, besides the Liao imperial mausoleums, other attractions such as Longgangzi Reservoir, the Maiden’s Tomb, Shengci Temple, Shuangquan Temple, the Scenic Viewing Pavilion, the former study of Qing Dynasty literary genius Liu Chun?, the Gaoli City in Sandao Gou, the Smoking Cave, the Ming Great Wall ruins at Fen’guan Pass, and the natural scenery of Taiyang Gou in Hongshi Village—all unique northern tourist destinations. Over the years, Longgangzi Village has also served as an outdoor filming location for numerous films and TV dramas.

Currently, the Longgangzi Tourist Resort has taken initial shape. Travelers interested in northern customs, flavors, and characteristics are encouraged to visit—it promises to feast both the eyes and the palate, while offering insights into the lifestyles and snacks of northern ethnic minorities, as well as exploration of ancient and various historical cultures. Why not go?

In 2019, the Liao Imperial Tombs of Mount Yiwu were included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Futun Subdistrict: Originally part of Guangning Commune, it was split off as Futun Commune in 1961, became a township in 1983, was renamed Futun Manchu Ethnic Township in 1988, reverted to township status in 1990. Located in the northwest of the city, 2 km from the municipal government, it covers an area of 121 square km with a population of 23,000, including 16,000 Manchus. It administers 17 village committees: Jintun, Xinglong, Shifo, Litun, Hongshi, Fen’guan, Taizigou, Wangtun, Zengjia, Hutun, Xilutun, Huafeng, Longgangzi, Futun, Shangkanzi, Dongjia, and Xinli. Local enterprises include galvanized pipe, dyeing, and paper mills. Agriculture mainly produces sorghum, corn, and soybeans... More details about Futun Subdistrict ++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

Mount Yiwu

Mount Yiwu – Daluhua Scenic Area

Mount Yiwu – Qingyan Temple Scenic Area

Mount Yiwu – Da Guanyin Pavilion Scenic Area

Mount Yiwu – Imperial Valley Scenic Area

Mount Yiwu – Lingshan Scenic Area

Mount Yiwu – Wufosi Scenic Area

Mount Yiwu National Forest Park Scenic Area