Chinese pyramids
Encyclopedia
Chinese pyramids are ancient mausoleum
s and burial mound
s built to house the remains of several early emperors of China and their imperial relatives. About 38 of them are located around 25 kilometres (16 mi) - 35 kilometres (22 mi) north-west of Xi'an
, on the Qin Chuan Plains in Shaanxi
Province. The most famous is the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor,
northeast of Xi'an and 1.7 km west of where the Terracotta Warriors were found. Chinese pyramids were also built during the Han
, Tang
, Song
, and Western Xia
dynasties.
They have flat tops, and thus are more similar in shape to the Teotihuacan
pyramids north-east of Mexico City
, Mexico
than to the pyramids in Giza, Egypt
. Although known in the West for at least a century, their existence has been made controversial by sensationalist publicity and the problems of Chinese archaeology in early 20th century.
. Colonel Maurice Sheahan, Far Eastern director of Trans World Airlines
, told an eyewitness account of his encounter with a pyramid in the March 28, 1947 edition of The New York Times. A photo of Sheahan's pyramid appeared in The New York Sunday News on March 30, 1947. This photograph later became attributed to James Gaussman. Chris Maier showed that the pyramid in the photo is the Maoling Mausoleum of Emperor Wu
of Han
, just outside of Xi'an
. Alternative writers such as Hartwig Hausdorf (who speculated it was built by aliens) and Phillip Coppens did much to bring them to public attention.
Despite claims to the contrary, the existence of these pyramid-shaped tomb mounds was known by scientists in the West before the publicity caused by the story in 1947. Shortly after the New York Times story, Science News Letter (now Science News
) published a short item saying "The Chinese pyramids of that region are built of mud and dirt and are more like mounds than the pyramids of Egypt, and the region is little travelled. American scientists who have been in the area suggest that the height of 1000 feet (304.8 m), more than twice as high as any of the Egyptian pyramids, may have been exaggerated, because most of the Chinese mounds of that area are built relatively low. The location, reported 40 miles (64.4 km) southwest of Sian, is in an area of great archaeological importance, but few of the pyramids have ever been explored." Victor Segalen
visited China in 1913 and wrote about the First Emperor's tomb (and other mound tombs in the region) in Mission Archeologique en Chine (1914): L'art funeraire a l'epoque des Han.
Some of the pyramids of Xi'an are now tourist attractions and several pyramids have small museums attached to them.
-Zhou
period.
Western Han dynasty mausoleums complex in Xianyang
Maoling Mausoleum group:
Pingling Mausoleum group:
Yanling Mausoleum group:
Kangling Mausoleum group:
Weiling Mausoleum group:
Group of two "tombs of Zhou Kings" (possibly from Han era):
Yiling mausoleum group:
Anling mausoleum group:
Changling mausoleum group:
Yangling mausoleum group:
Baling mausoleum group:
Duling mausoleum group:
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
s and burial mound
Mound
A mound is a general term for an artificial heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. The most common use is in reference to natural earthen formation such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. The term may also be applied to any rounded area of topographically...
s built to house the remains of several early emperors of China and their imperial relatives. About 38 of them are located around 25 kilometres (16 mi) - 35 kilometres (22 mi) north-west of Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, on the Qin Chuan Plains in Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
Province. The most famous is the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor,
northeast of Xi'an and 1.7 km west of where the Terracotta Warriors were found. Chinese pyramids were also built during the Han
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, and Western Xia
Western Xia
The Western Xia Dynasty or the Tangut Empire, was known to the Tanguts and the Tibetans as Minyak.The state existed from 1038 to 1227 AD in what are now the northwestern Chinese provinces of Ningxia, Gansu, eastern Qinghai, northern Shaanxi, northeastern Xinjiang, southwest Inner Mongolia, and...
dynasties.
They have flat tops, and thus are more similar in shape to the Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan – also written Teotihuacán, with a Spanish orthographic accent on the last syllable – is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas...
pyramids north-east of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
than to the pyramids in Giza, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Although known in the West for at least a century, their existence has been made controversial by sensationalist publicity and the problems of Chinese archaeology in early 20th century.
Recognition in the West
The introduction of pyramids in China to popular attention came in two stages. Many early stories were focused on the existence of "Great White Pyramid." U.S. Army Air Corps pilot James Gaussman is said to have seen a white jewel-topped pyramid during a flight between India and China during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Colonel Maurice Sheahan, Far Eastern director of Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
, told an eyewitness account of his encounter with a pyramid in the March 28, 1947 edition of The New York Times. A photo of Sheahan's pyramid appeared in The New York Sunday News on March 30, 1947. This photograph later became attributed to James Gaussman. Chris Maier showed that the pyramid in the photo is the Maoling Mausoleum of Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
of Han
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, just outside of Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
. Alternative writers such as Hartwig Hausdorf (who speculated it was built by aliens) and Phillip Coppens did much to bring them to public attention.
Despite claims to the contrary, the existence of these pyramid-shaped tomb mounds was known by scientists in the West before the publicity caused by the story in 1947. Shortly after the New York Times story, Science News Letter (now Science News
Science News
Science News is an American bi-weekly magazine devoted to short articles about new scientific and technical developments, typically gleaned from recent scientific and technical journals. Science News has been published since 1922 by Society for Science & the Public, a non-profit organization...
) published a short item saying "The Chinese pyramids of that region are built of mud and dirt and are more like mounds than the pyramids of Egypt, and the region is little travelled. American scientists who have been in the area suggest that the height of 1000 feet (304.8 m), more than twice as high as any of the Egyptian pyramids, may have been exaggerated, because most of the Chinese mounds of that area are built relatively low. The location, reported 40 miles (64.4 km) southwest of Sian, is in an area of great archaeological importance, but few of the pyramids have ever been explored." Victor Segalen
Victor Segalen
Victor Segalen was a French naval doctor, ethnographer, archeologist, writer, poet, explorer, art-theorist, linguist and literary critic....
visited China in 1913 and wrote about the First Emperor's tomb (and other mound tombs in the region) in Mission Archeologique en Chine (1914): L'art funeraire a l'epoque des Han.
Some of the pyramids of Xi'an are now tourist attractions and several pyramids have small museums attached to them.
The Development of Mound Tombs in China
There is a long history of building mounded tombs in China, dating back to at least the ShangShang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
-Zhou
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
period.
Partial list of Chinese pyramids
Zhou dynasty tombs complex near Luoyang, Henan
- Tomb of King Ling of Zhou 34.6250°N 112.3753°W
- Tomb of Three Kings of Zhou 34.6280°N 112.3829°W
Zhao Kings' tombs complex near Handan, Hebei
- Tomb of King of Zhao state 36.7067045°N 114.4188523°W
Qin dynasty mausoleums near Xi'an, Shaanxi
- Tomb of First EmperorQin Shi HuangQin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
in LintongLintongLintong District is a district in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province of China. The Terracotta Army and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was discovered in March 1974 near this district....
34.3812356°N 109.2540121°W .This is the largest Chinese burial mound. The original height is 76 metres (249 ft), the present height is 47 metres (154 ft), and the size is 357 metres (1,171 ft) x 354 metres (1,161 ft). It was built during the short-lived imperial Qin DynastyQin DynastyThe Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
(221-206 BC). - Tomb of Emperor Qin Ershi in Xi'an
Western Han dynasty mausoleums complex in XianyangXianyangXianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
and around Xi'anXi'anXi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, Shaanxi
Maoling Mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Wudi 34.3380854°N 108.569684°W. The size is 222 metres (728 ft) x 217 metres (712 ft).
- Tomb of Empress Li
- Tomb of Princess Yang Xin
Pingling Mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Zhaodi 34.3617534°N 108.6401081°W
- Tomb of Empress Shangguan 34.363135°N 108.63053834°W
Yanling Mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Chengdi 34.3748955°N 108.6980009°W
- Tomb of Empress Xu
- Tomb of Consort Ban 34.3798011°N 108.7044919°W
- Tomb of Empress Zhao Feiyan
Kangling Mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Pingdi 34.3977741°N 108.7124205°W
- Tomb of Empress Wang
Weiling Mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Yuandi
- Tomb of Empress Wang
Group of two "tombs of Zhou Kings" (possibly from Han era):
- Tomb of King Wu of Zhou
- Tomb of King Wen of Zhou
Yiling mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Aidi 34.4008548°N 108.7646055°W
- Tomb of Empress Fu
Anling mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Huidi
- Tomb of Empress Zhang Yan
- Tomb of Marquis Zhao Ao (father of Empress Zhang Yan)
- Tomb of Empress Luyuan (mother of Empress Zhang Yan)
Changling mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Gaozu (Liu Bang)
- Tomb of Empress Lu
- Tomb of Consort Qi
Yangling mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Jingdi
- Tomb of Empress Wang
Baling mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Wendi (The tomb of the Emperor himself does not feature a pyramidal mound, due to his death wish)
- Tomb of Empress Dou 34.2358251°N 109.1186142°W
- Tomb of Empress Dowager Bo 34.2209934°N 109.0963411°W
Duling mausoleum group:
- Tomb of Emperor Han Xuandi 34.1810627°N 109.0223122°W
- Tomb of Empress Wang
- Tomb of Empress Xu
Mausoleum of Emperor Xiaojing of Tang near Goushi, Henan
- Tomb of Emperor Xiaojing of Tang 34.63276°N 112.81109°W
- Tomb of Empress Ai
Elsewhere
- Shaohao TombShaohao TombThe Shaohao Tomb is a pyramid shaped monument located in the north-east of Jiuxian Village, on the eastern outskirts of the city of Qufu in Shandong Province, China. The monument honors Shaohao, the son of the first mythical Chinese emperor and one of the mythical five emperors himself...
in Qufu, Shandong - a small pyramid
- Inner MongoliaInner MongoliaInner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
n pyramid, situated about 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) north of Sijiazi (四家子) Town, Aohan County (敖漢旗), vestige of the Hongshan cultureHongshan cultureThe Hongshan culture was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China. Hongshan sites have been found in an area stretching from Inner Mongolia to Liaoning, and dated from about 4700 BC to 2900 BC....
. The site of NiuheliangNiuheliangNiuheliang is a Neolithic archaeological site in China, located in the northeastern province of Liaoning in Manchuria along the middle and upper reaches of the Laoha River and the Yingjin River. Discovered in 1983, Niuheliang is an exemplary site of the Hongshan culture...
contains a pyramidal structure too.
- The eighteen mausoleums of the Tang DynastyTang DynastyThe Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
emperors (唐十八陵) in the valley of the Wei RiverWei RiverThe Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization....
north of the Qin Mountains(秦岭). Some are among the biggest Chinese mausoleums, such as Qianling (乾陵), joint tomb of Emperor Gaozong of TangEmperor Gaozong of TangEmperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
and of the Empress Wu ZetianWu ZetianWu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
. It is a natural hill shaped by man. - Janggun-chong (Jiangjunzhong 將軍塚) Step Pyramid in JilinJilinJilin , is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Jilin borders North Korea and Russia to the east, Heilongjiang to the north, Liaoning to the south, and Inner Mongolia to the west...
, "Tomb of the GeneralTomb of the GeneralThe Tomb of the General , also known as the Pyramid of the East, is thought to be the burial tomb of King Gwanggaeto or his son King Jangsu, both kings of the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo. . .The pyramid is located in Ji'an, Jilin province China, a former capital of Goguryeo...
", is supposed to be the mausoleum of King JangsuJangsu of GoguryeoEmperor Jangsu of Goguryeo was the 20th monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was born in 394, the eldest son of King Gwanggaeto the Great...
(Ko. 장수왕 Ch. 長壽王) (413-491), king of GoguryeoGoguryeoGoguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, an ancient Korean kingdom. It belongs to the Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo KingdomCapital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo KingdomCapital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom is a World Heritage Site located in the People's Republic of China. The designated area of the site is located in and around Ji'an, Jilin...
on the World heritage listWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Nearby is the Taewang-neung / Taiwangling (태왕릉, 太王陵) Pyramid believed to be the burial of King Gwanggaeto the GreatGwanggaeto the Great of GoguryeoGwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo was the nineteenth monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. His full posthumous name roughly means "Very Greatest King, Broad Expander of Territory, buried in Gukgangsang.", sometimes abbreviated to Hotaewang or Taewang...
(Ko. 광개토태왕; Ch. 廣開土太王) (391-413); while twice bigger than Janggun-chong, it is in bad shape and Janggun-chong is touted as the touristic highpoint of the site. - The Western Xia tombsWestern Xia tombsOccupying an area of some , the Western Xia tombs at the foot of the Helan Mountains in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northwestern China includes nine imperial mausoleums and 250 tombs of imperial relatives and officials...
of the Tangut Empire near Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwestern China, a large number of tombs covering some 50 km² (19.3 sq mi) are referred to as 'Chinese Pyramids'.
External links
- Niuheliang Archaeological Site
- Center for the Art of East Asia article discussing Western Han pyramidal mounds and Tang Dynasty tombs
- Video of the pyramids seen from space
- People's Daily - Inner Mongolian pyramid
- Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman. 1993. The Tangut Royal Tombs near Yinchuan. In Muqarnas X: An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture. Margaret B. Sevcenko, ed. Leiden: E.J. Brill.
- Google Map - Mount Li Mausoleum (Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum)
- Google Map - Maoling Mausoleum (Great White Pyramid)
- Han Yang Ling Mausoleum