Western Qing Tombs

Western Qing Tombs

The Western Qing Tombs are a AAAAA-level tourist attraction, a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Western Qing Tombs are located at the foot of Yongning Mountain, 15 kilometers west of Yixian County in Hebei Province. They are one of China’s largest, best-preserved, and most comprehensive clusters of imperial tombs from the Qing Dynasty, and represent the pinnacle of Chinese mausoleum architectural art over the past two millennia.

Within the 8,300-hectare protected area of the Western Qing Tombs, there are four imperial tombs, three empress tombs, and four tombs for princes, princesses, and imperial sons (a total of 14 tombs), along with two auxiliary structures (Yongsi Temple and the Traveling Palace). These sites house the remains of four emperors — Yongzheng, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Guangxu — nine empresses, 57 concubines, two princes, six imperial sons, totaling 78 individuals.

The tomb area features more than a thousand palace buildings and over a hundred stone structures, whose architectural styles and layouts clearly reflect the rituals and systems of feudal society. The four imperial tombs and three empress tombs are topped with yellow glazed tiles; the tombs of concubines, princesses, and princes are covered with green glazed tiles or gray earthen tiles. These ancient buildings are nestled among lush pines and cypresses, standing proudly amid vast forests. The verdant Yongning Mountain, wreathed in auspicious clouds, rises majestically behind the tombs. The Yi River, said to trace its source to the Eight Trigrams, meanders gently in front of the Great Red Gate, further enhancing the grandeur and majestic atmosphere of the Western Qing Tombs.

　Nature has also bestowed a special spiritual essence upon the surrounding mountains, rivers, and valleys of the tomb area. In his leisure time, Chen Zengrong, the Commander of the Ning’an Garrison in the late Qing Dynasty, enamored by the beautiful landscape, designated the “Eight Scenic Spots of the Western Qing Tombs”: “Purple Haze at Jing Pass,” “Rushing Waves of the Juma River,” “Layered Greenery of Yunmeng Mountain,” “Sunset over the Unique Peaks,” “Evening Bell of Emei Mountain,” “Sunlit Fushan Mountain,” “Mist-Shrouded Canopy,” and “Cold Flow of the Yi River.”

　It is these enchanting natural scenes that frame this “auspicious land,” described as being “embraced by dragons and tigers for eternity, visited by spirits every night.” It was for this reason that Emperor Yongzheng, the third ruler of the Qing Dynasty, chose to break away from the burial grounds of his ancestors and establish the Western Qing Tombs in Yizhou, seeking everlasting prosperity for the Qing Empire.

　On March 2, 1737, Emperor Qianlong interred his father in the underground palace of the Tai Tomb. Later, to ensure the continuity of ancestral worship at both the Eastern and Western Qing Tombs, Qianlong devised a balanced solution: future emperors would be buried alternately between the two sites following the “Zhaomu sequence and generational separation” principle. Thus, he first built his own Yu Tomb in Shengshuiyu within the Eastern Qing Tombs area, to be near his grandfather Emperor Kangxi. His son, Emperor Jiaqing, built the Chang Tomb next to the Tai Tomb, to stay close to his grandfather, Emperor Yongzheng. Following this system, Emperor Daoguang’s tomb was initially constructed in Baohua Valley of the Eastern Qing Tombs. However, after seven years of construction and the burial of Empress Xiaomu, water leakage was discovered in the underground chamber. As a result, Daoguang selected a new site in the Western Qing Tombs, demolished the original structures in Baohua Valley, and rebuilt his tomb there. After skipping the reigns of Emperors Xianfeng and Tongzhi, Emperor Guangxu was also laid to rest in the Western Qing Tombs.

If the natural landscapes surrounding the Western Qing Tombs were divinely crafted, then over the 185 years spanning the construction of the Tai Tomb to the completion of the Chong Tomb, a seamless integration of cultural and natural scenery emerged — fully embodying the cosmological concept of “harmony between heaven and humanity” in tomb architecture. As Sun Dinglie described in his *Record of the Escort Mission to Yongning Mountain*: “The mountain range extends from the Taihang Mountains, towering and majestic, rich in vitality. Lofty ridges and peaks encircle the area from afar, while spiritual cliffs and emerald ridges embrace it from all sides. Countless hills descend in layers, like the fingers of a hand, with each valley between them cradling an imperial tomb — resembling petals of a flower or layers of bamboo shoots, wrapping protectively around each other.” “The layout coils like a dragon and soars like a phoenix, with roots running deep and branches extending far. Flanked and guarded from all directions, it truly resembles a fortress of gold and a forest of jade.”

On November 30, 2000, the Western Qing Tombs, as part of the Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking a new historical chapter for this ancient architectural complex, whose value has been recognized worldwide. On January 9, 2001, it was further designated as a National AAAAA-level Tourist Attraction. All cultural relics, scenic spots, and surrounding environments of the Western Qing Tombs have become part of humanity’s shared cultural heritage and wealth.

　The Western Qing Tombs, a jewel of ancient architectural art embedded in China’s landscape, preserve the splendid history and culture of the Chinese nation and stand as a world-renowned tourist destination.

Website: http://www.qingxiling.com/

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· 35th Batch of National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attractions (January 2020)

· First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units