Eastern Qing Tombs
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Qing Tombs are an imperial mausoleum complex of the Qing Dynasty
located in Zunhua
, 125 kilometers northeast of Beijing
. They are the largest, most complete, and best preserved extant mausoleum complex in China. Altogether, 5 emperors (Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Tongzhi
), 15 empresses, 136 imperial concubines, 3 princes, and 2 princesses of the Qing Dynasty were buried here. Surrounded by Changrui Mountain, Jinxing Mountain, Huanghua Mountain, and Yingfei Daoyang Mountain, the tomb complex stretches over a total area of 80 km2.
) and Consort Donggo. The major tombs to the east of Shunzhi's mausoleum are Jingling (Kangxi Emperor) and Huiling (Tongzhi Emperor
). To the west lie Yuling (Qianlong Emperor
),
Ding Dongling (Dowager Empress Cixi
and Empress Ci'an), and Dingling (Xianfeng Emperor
), .
All imperial mausolea in the Eastern Qing Tombs follow a pattern established by the Xiaoling mausoleum of Emperor Shunzhi. The basic layout consists of three sections: spirit way
, palaces, and offering kitchens. Xiaoling has the most elaborate spirit way and contains the following structures (from south to north):
a stone archway, eastern and western dismounting stelae, grand palace gate, hall for changing clothes, divine merit stelae pavilion, stone sculptures, dragon-and-phoenix gate, one-arch bridge, seven-arch bridge, five-arch bridge, eastern and western dismounting stelae, three-way three-arch bridges and flat bridge. The palace section of Xiaoling contains the following structures (from south to north): spirit way stela pavilion, eastern and western halls for court officials, Long'en Gate, eastern and western sacrificial burners, eastern and western side halls, Long'en Hall , gate of the burial chamber, two-pillar gate, stone altar-pieces, square city, memorial tower, glazed screen, crescent city, precious citadel, earth mound with the underground palace underneath. The north of the palace was closed off with walls. The section of the offering kitchens was positioned to the left of the palace section, it consists of a walled compound that contains the offering kitchens proper (i.e., where the sacrificial food was cooked), the southern and northern offering warehouses, and a slaughterhouse where the oxen and sheep were butchered.
Jingling is the tomb of Emperor Kangxi, and is surprisingly modest given that he was possibly the greatest Emperor of the Qing Dynasty but is in keeping with what is known of his character. The sacred way leading to the tomb has an elegant five-arch bridge; the guardian figures are placed on an unusual curve quite close to the tomb itself, and are more decorated than those at earlier tombs.
Yuling, the tomb of the Qianlong Emperor
(the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty
), may be the most splendid one of all royal tombs in Chinese history. Yuling has the finest tomb chamber, a series of nine vaults separated by four solid marble doors located at a depth of 54 meters. Beginning with the first marble gate, all walls, vaulted ceilings, and gates are covered with Buddhist
imagery such as the four heavenly kings, the eight bodhisattvas, the 24 buddhas, lions, the Eight Treasures
, as well as ritual instruments and more than 30,000 words of Tibetan scripture and Sanskrit. The 3-ton doors themselves have reliefs of bodhisattvas (beings on the road to enlightenment) and the four protective kings usually found at temple entrances. The Qianlong Emperor (died 1799) selected the site of his mausoleum in 1742 and construction began in the following year. Construction was completed in 1752, but the mausoleum was expanded further in the years between 1755 and 1762. During this time, the square city, memorial tower, the precious citadel, as well as the two side halls were newly built.
Ding Dongling, the tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi
stands out for its extremely luxurious decoration. The Long'en Hall along with its eastern and western side halls is made from valuable red wood timbers. All three halls are decorated with gold-glazed coloured painting, gilded dragons, and carved stone rails. Today, the main hall contains reproductions of pictures produced in 1903 by Cixi's photo studio within the Summer Palace
. Everywhere there are reminders of the Forbidden City
, such as the terrace-corner spouts carved as water-loving dragons. The interior has motifs strikingly painted in gold on dark wood, recalling the buildings where she spent her last years. There are walls of carved and gilded brick, and superbly fearsome wooden dragons writhe down the columns.
Zhaoxiling, the tomb of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, the mother of the Shunzhi Emperor is located to the east of the entrance to the spirit way that leads to the tomb of Shunzhi. Xiaozhuang is believed to have played an important role in consolidating early Qing Dynasty
authority. The mausoleum was started as a temporary resting hall under the direction of the Kangxi Emperor, who was the grandson of Xiaozhuang and followed her wishes in making this arrangement. The temporary hall was converted into the Zhaoxiling mausoleum in 1725, during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor
.
The tombs were looted
by troops under the command of the warlord Sun Dianying
in 1928.
An abandoned construction site for the mausoleum of the Daoguang Emperor
is also located in the Eastern Qing Tombs. Emperor Daoguang decided to move his tomb (Muling) to the Western Qing Tombs
after water seeped into the burial chamber at the original site. The already built structures were dismantled and moved to the Western Qing Tombs. Two sons and two daughters of Daoguang are burried in the Eastern Qing Tombs (in the "Tomb of the Princess").
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
located in Zunhua
Zunhua
Zunhua is a county-level city under the administration of Tangshan, Hebei, China. Historic sites include the Eastern Qing Tombs .-Administrative Divisions:Towns:...
, 125 kilometers northeast of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. They are the largest, most complete, and best preserved extant mausoleum complex in China. Altogether, 5 emperors (Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Tongzhi
Tongzhi
Tongzhi is a term which literally means "same will" or "same purpose" in Chinese. Idiomatically, it means "comrade". It has taken on various meanings in various contexts since the 20th century, and now its use among the younger generation is slang for members of the LGBT community. The term was...
), 15 empresses, 136 imperial concubines, 3 princes, and 2 princesses of the Qing Dynasty were buried here. Surrounded by Changrui Mountain, Jinxing Mountain, Huanghua Mountain, and Yingfei Daoyang Mountain, the tomb complex stretches over a total area of 80 km2.
Description
At the center of the Eastern Qing Tombs lies Xiaoling, the tomb of Emperor Shunzhi (1638–1661), who became the first Qing emperor to rule over China. Shunzhi was also the first emperor to be buried in the area. Buried with him are his empresses Xiaokangzhang (mother of the Kangxi EmperorKangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor ; Manchu: elhe taifin hūwangdi ; Mongolian: Энх-Амгалан хаан, 4 May 1654 –20 December 1722) was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the first to be born on Chinese soil south of the Pass and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722.Kangxi's...
) and Consort Donggo. The major tombs to the east of Shunzhi's mausoleum are Jingling (Kangxi Emperor) and Huiling (Tongzhi Emperor
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
). To the west lie Yuling (Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
),
Ding Dongling (Dowager Empress Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
and Empress Ci'an), and Dingling (Xianfeng Emperor
Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro I Ju, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.-Family and his early years:...
), .
All imperial mausolea in the Eastern Qing Tombs follow a pattern established by the Xiaoling mausoleum of Emperor Shunzhi. The basic layout consists of three sections: spirit way
Spirit way
A spirit way is the ornate road leading to a Chinese tomb of a major dignitary.The term is also sometimes translated as spirit road, spirit path or sacred way....
, palaces, and offering kitchens. Xiaoling has the most elaborate spirit way and contains the following structures (from south to north):
a stone archway, eastern and western dismounting stelae, grand palace gate, hall for changing clothes, divine merit stelae pavilion, stone sculptures, dragon-and-phoenix gate, one-arch bridge, seven-arch bridge, five-arch bridge, eastern and western dismounting stelae, three-way three-arch bridges and flat bridge. The palace section of Xiaoling contains the following structures (from south to north): spirit way stela pavilion, eastern and western halls for court officials, Long'en Gate, eastern and western sacrificial burners, eastern and western side halls, Long'en Hall , gate of the burial chamber, two-pillar gate, stone altar-pieces, square city, memorial tower, glazed screen, crescent city, precious citadel, earth mound with the underground palace underneath. The north of the palace was closed off with walls. The section of the offering kitchens was positioned to the left of the palace section, it consists of a walled compound that contains the offering kitchens proper (i.e., where the sacrificial food was cooked), the southern and northern offering warehouses, and a slaughterhouse where the oxen and sheep were butchered.
Jingling is the tomb of Emperor Kangxi, and is surprisingly modest given that he was possibly the greatest Emperor of the Qing Dynasty but is in keeping with what is known of his character. The sacred way leading to the tomb has an elegant five-arch bridge; the guardian figures are placed on an unusual curve quite close to the tomb itself, and are more decorated than those at earlier tombs.
Yuling, the tomb of the Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
(the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
), may be the most splendid one of all royal tombs in Chinese history. Yuling has the finest tomb chamber, a series of nine vaults separated by four solid marble doors located at a depth of 54 meters. Beginning with the first marble gate, all walls, vaulted ceilings, and gates are covered with Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
imagery such as the four heavenly kings, the eight bodhisattvas, the 24 buddhas, lions, the Eight Treasures
Eight Treasures
The Eight Treasures are popular symbols in Chinese art.While technically they may be any subset of the much longer list of the Hundred Treasures, there is a combination that is most popular.# the wish-granting pearl or "flaming pearl"...
, as well as ritual instruments and more than 30,000 words of Tibetan scripture and Sanskrit. The 3-ton doors themselves have reliefs of bodhisattvas (beings on the road to enlightenment) and the four protective kings usually found at temple entrances. The Qianlong Emperor (died 1799) selected the site of his mausoleum in 1742 and construction began in the following year. Construction was completed in 1752, but the mausoleum was expanded further in the years between 1755 and 1762. During this time, the square city, memorial tower, the precious citadel, as well as the two side halls were newly built.
Ding Dongling, the tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
stands out for its extremely luxurious decoration. The Long'en Hall along with its eastern and western side halls is made from valuable red wood timbers. All three halls are decorated with gold-glazed coloured painting, gilded dragons, and carved stone rails. Today, the main hall contains reproductions of pictures produced in 1903 by Cixi's photo studio within the Summer Palace
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is a palace in Beijing, China. The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water....
. Everywhere there are reminders of the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
, such as the terrace-corner spouts carved as water-loving dragons. The interior has motifs strikingly painted in gold on dark wood, recalling the buildings where she spent her last years. There are walls of carved and gilded brick, and superbly fearsome wooden dragons writhe down the columns.
Zhaoxiling, the tomb of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, the mother of the Shunzhi Emperor is located to the east of the entrance to the spirit way that leads to the tomb of Shunzhi. Xiaozhuang is believed to have played an important role in consolidating early Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
authority. The mausoleum was started as a temporary resting hall under the direction of the Kangxi Emperor, who was the grandson of Xiaozhuang and followed her wishes in making this arrangement. The temporary hall was converted into the Zhaoxiling mausoleum in 1725, during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor
Yongzheng Emperor
The Yongzheng Emperor , born Yinzhen , was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and the third Qing emperor from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimal expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military...
.
The tombs were looted
Looting of the Eastern Mausoleum
The Looting of the Eastern Mausoleum was an incident in which some of the major mausoleums of the Qing Dynasty in the Eastern Qing Tombs were looted by troops under the command of the warlord Sun Dianying.-Background:...
by troops under the command of the warlord Sun Dianying
Sun Dianying
Sun Diangying was one of the minor warlords during the Warlord Era.-Biography:...
in 1928.
Main tombs
- Xiaoling for Emperor Shunzhi (1638–1661, the 1st Qing emperor to rule over China)
- Jingling for Emperor Kangxi (1654–1722, the 2nd emperor)
- Yuling for Emperor Qianlong (1711–1799, the 4th emperor)
- Dingling for Emperor Xianfeng (1831–1861, the 7th emperor)
- Huiling for Emperor Tongzhi (1856–1875, the 8th emperor)
- Ding Dongling composed of:
- Putuo Yu Ding Dongling for Empress Dowager CixiEmpress Dowager CixiEmpress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
(1835–1908) - Puxiang Yu Ding Dongling for Empress Dowager Cian (1837–1881)
- Putuo Yu Ding Dongling for Empress Dowager Cixi
An abandoned construction site for the mausoleum of the Daoguang Emperor
Daoguang Emperor
The Daoguang Emperor was the eighth emperor of the Manchurian Qing dynasty and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1820 to 1850.-Early years:...
is also located in the Eastern Qing Tombs. Emperor Daoguang decided to move his tomb (Muling) to the Western Qing Tombs
Western Qing Tombs
The Western Qing Tombs are located some southwest of Beijing in Hebei province near the town of Yixian. The Western Qing Tombs is a necropolis that incorporate four royal mausoleums where seventy-eight royal members in all are buried...
after water seeped into the burial chamber at the original site. The already built structures were dismantled and moved to the Western Qing Tombs. Two sons and two daughters of Daoguang are burried in the Eastern Qing Tombs (in the "Tomb of the Princess").
See also
- Looting of the Eastern MausoleumLooting of the Eastern MausoleumThe Looting of the Eastern Mausoleum was an incident in which some of the major mausoleums of the Qing Dynasty in the Eastern Qing Tombs were looted by troops under the command of the warlord Sun Dianying.-Background:...
- Western Qing TombsWestern Qing TombsThe Western Qing Tombs are located some southwest of Beijing in Hebei province near the town of Yixian. The Western Qing Tombs is a necropolis that incorporate four royal mausoleums where seventy-eight royal members in all are buried...
- Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing DynastiesImperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing DynastiesImperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties is the designation under which the UNESCO has included several tombs and burial complexes into the list of World Heritage Sites. These tombs date from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China....