Qing Hui Tomb

Qing Hui Tomb

The Qing Hui Tomb is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Hui Tomb is the mausoleum of Emperor Mu Zong of the Qing Dynasty, Aisin-Gioro Zaitian (Emperor Tongzhi), located at Shuangshan Valley, three kilometers southeast of the Jing Tomb. Zaitian ruled for thirteen years (1862–1874) but never had his tomb built during his lifetime. After his death, in February of the first year of the Guangxu reign (1875), the Qing court selected Shuangshan Valley as the imperial burial site, and on the 23rd of that month, the tomb was officially named the Hui Tomb. Construction began on the 3rd day of the 8th month of the first year of Guangxu (1875) and was completed in September of the fourth year of Guangxu (1878), taking a total of three years and one month. The project cost 4,359,110.89 taels of silver. The chief officials in charge included Prince Chun Yixuan, Left Censor-in-Chief Kuiling, Vice Minister of Revenue Ronglu, and Acting Vice Minister of Works Weng Tonghe.

The architectural layout of the Hui Tomb follows that of the Ding Tomb, except that it lacks a Hall of Sacred Merit Stele and the Two-Pillar Gate, and also omits the stone statues and the spirit path leading directly to the main gate. The structures are arranged from south to north as follows: one five-arch bridge, two flat bridges, two stone stele pillars, one memorial archway gate, one dismounting stele each on the east and west sides, one spirit way stele pavilion, one divine kitchen and storage house, one well pavilion, three three-arch bridges in three directions, two flat bridges, one ceremonial hall each on the east and west sides, one duty room each on the east and west sides, one Long’en Gate, one old incineration furnace each on the east and west sides, one side hall each on the east and west sides, one Long’en Hall, three glazed flower gates, one Five-Offering Stone Platform, one Square City, one Ming Tower, one Treasure City, and one Treasure Mound. Beneath the Treasure Mound lies the underground palace. The tomb complex is surrounded by sand hills. Except for the duty rooms, which have tile roofs, all other buildings are covered with yellow glazed tiles.