The Tombs of the Later Zhou Dynasty

The Tombs of the Later Zhou Dynasty

The Tombs of the Later Zhou Dynasty are National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

The Tombs of the Later Zhou Dynasty are located near Guodian Village, approximately 18 kilometers north of Xinzheng City in Henan Province. There are currently four extant imperial tombs: the Song Tomb, Qing Tomb, Shun Tomb, and Yi Tomb. On June 20, 1963, the People's Committee of Henan Province designated them as provincial-level cultural heritage sites. On June 25, 2001, they were listed as national-level cultural heritage sites.

The Song Tomb (Tomb of Emperor Taizu Guo Wei) is situated about 1 kilometer southwest of Guodian Village, in Zhouzhuang Village. According to county records, there was once a tomb stele in front of the grave, but it has since been lost. The existing mound is approximately 12 meters high, with a circumference of 110 meters.

The Qing Tomb (Tomb of Emperor Shizong Chai Rong) is located in LingShang Village, about 500 meters northwest of Guodian Village. The existing mound is 10 meters high, with a circumference of 105 meters. In the early Ming Dynasty, a square-shaped imperial mausoleum was built here, surrounded by brick walls with each side measuring 200 meters. The main gate faced south, and inside the courtyard, there was a 3-meter-wide, 80-meter-long pathway leading directly to the tomb. Cypress trees were planted around the mausoleum, and a square sacrificial altar was placed in front of the tomb, surrounded by numerous stone stelae. During the Republican era, amid warlord conflicts, the mausoleum was destroyed, leaving only 28 surviving imperial sacrificial steles.

The Shun Tomb (Tomb of Emperor Gong Chai Zongxun) is located about 500 meters northeast of the Qing Tomb. The existing mound is 4 meters high, with a circumference of 40 meters. This tomb was previously looted, but murals still remain in the burial chamber and passage.

The Yi Tomb (Tomb of Empress Fu, wife of Emperor Shizong) is located within LingShang Village, about 100 meters east of the Qing Tomb. The mound is 3 meters high, with a circumference of 30 meters.

The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was a time of fragmentation and conflict in Chinese history. During the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou, economic and political reforms were implemented, strengthening the state and laying the foundation for the later unification under the Northern Song Dynasty. As such, this period holds an important place in Chinese history. The tombs of the Later Zhou are relatively modest in scale and feature simple burials without stone statues or other carvings. However, the mausoleum structures and sacrificial stelae possess significant historical and scientific value, serving as essential physical evidence among the imperial tombs of various dynasties in Chinese history.

Address: Near Guodian Town, Xinzheng City, Zhengzhou, primarily in LingShang Village and LingHou Village

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units