Qingchang Mausoleum

Qingchang Mausoleum

The Qingchang Mausoleum is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Chang Mausoleum is the tomb of Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty, Renzong. It is located two li west of the Tai Mausoleum. The underground palace also houses Empress Xiaoshurui of the Xitala clan, who passed away in the second year of Jiaqing's reign.

The site of the Chang Mausoleum was originally named Taipingyu, which had been chosen by Emperor Qianlong as his own eternal resting place. Later, Qianlong issued an edict stating: “Henceforth, each [imperial tomb site] shall be selected in accordance with the order of ancestral succession, to be built separately within the boundaries of the Eastern and Western Qing Tombs.” This meant that father and son emperors could not be buried in the same tomb complex. Therefore, Qianlong selected another site in the Eastern Qing Tombs to rest alongside his grandfather Emperor Kangxi, while granting the Taipingyu site in the Western Qing Tombs to his son Jiaqing, allowing him to be buried near his grandfather Emperor Yongzheng. Emperor Jiaqing passed away on July 18 of the 25th year of his reign at the Yanbozhichang Hall in the Chengde Mountain Resort, at the age of 61. He was the 15th son of Emperor Qianlong and reigned for 25 years (1796–1820). Shortly after ascending the throne, Jiaqing punished Heshen, Qianlong’s favored courtier, which had a tremendous deterrent effect on the corrupt officials of all ranks in the court at the time.

The Chang Mausoleum is the only imperial tomb directly connected to the main spirit way of the Western Qing Tombs. Along the route, there is a three-arch flat bridge, and 300 meters to the west, it turns north where the last Sacred Virtue and Meritorious Deeds Stele Pavilion of the Qing Dynasty stands. The northern section shares similarities with the Tai Mausoleum. From the front spirit way to the rear precious city, everything is in place, but the precious city of the Chang Mausoleum is even taller than that of the Tai Mausoleum. The Hall of Eminent Favor in the Chang Mausoleum is quite distinctive, with its floor paved with rare yellow speckled stone. The yellow square stone slabs feature naturally elegant purple patterns, shining brilliantly and illuminating the entire hall, earning it the reputation of being a “hall full of gemstones.” The Echo Stone and Echo Wall in the Changxi Mausoleum, the empress’s tomb of Emperor Jiaqing, produce remarkably marvelous acoustic effects, comparable to the Echo Wall at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven.

The Divine Kitchen and Storage of the Chang Mausoleum is located to the left of the Spirit Way Stele Pavilion, facing west and standing independently as a courtyard with red walls and yellow-tiled roofs. There are four buildings in the courtyard. Upon entering the gate, the first structure you see is the Eastern Divine Kitchen, with a single-eave hanging gable roof covered in yellow glazed tiles, featuring five bays in width. It is the main building of the courtyard and was formerly equipped with a large cooking stove and five long tables, serving as the place where sacrificial offerings were prepared. On the north and south sides in front of the Divine Kitchen are the Divine Storages, each with three bays in width and a single-eave hanging gable roof, functioning as warehouses for storing raw materials and sacrificial items. In the southeast corner is a square building with a double-eave hip-and-gable roof, covered in yellow glazed tiles—the Sacrificial Animal Inspection Hall.

The Sacrificial Animal Inspection Hall was where the Ministry of Rites’ butchers slaughtered cattle and sheep. Every whole ox and sheep used for sacrifices was butchered and cooked here. The Sacrificial Animal Inspection Hall and its interior facilities in the Chang Mausoleum have been well preserved and remain intact, making it a unique treasure among the imperial tombs of the Qing Dynasty. It serves both as a physical record of the grand and elaborate imperial sacrificial ceremonies and as valuable evidence for the study of tomb architecture.