Attractions at Qianling Mausoleum

The magnificent stone carvings are another marvel of Qianling. Constructed in the prime of the Tang Dynasty when the nation enjoyed great prosperity, the mausoleum boasts a grand scale and splendid architecture, ranking foremost among all imperial tombs in Chinese history.

After thousands of years, all the elaborate above-ground buildings have vanished. Yet rows of gigantic stone carvings still stand silently along the Sacred Avenue, guarding the mausoleum and bearing witness to the passage of time.

Ascending the stone steps, visitors will first see a pair of tall octagonal ornamental pillars, followed by two imposing winged horse sculptures. Further ahead, the ancient charm grows increasingly tangible. Here stand lifelike ostriches, weathered stone horses together with their grooms, robed and crowned stone warrior statues holding swords, the towering Wordless Stele and Monument in Praise of the Sage Ruler, as well as 61 stone statues of foreign envoys and chieftains of ethnic minorities who attended Emperor Gaozong’s funeral.

These over a hundred exquisite large-scale carvings embody the highly developed feudal culture and stone carving art of the Tang Dynasty, making Qianling an open-air museum of Tang stone sculpture.

There are altogether 17 auxiliary tombs around Qianling, including 2 tombs for crown princes, 3 for princes, 4 for princesses and 8 for senior ministers.

From 1960 to 1971, five of these tombs were excavated successively, namely the tombs of Princess Yongtai, Prince Zhanghuai, Prince Yide, Xue Yuanchao and Li Jinxing. More than 4,300 precious cultural relics were unearthed.

The tombs house over 100 gorgeous murals, forming a spectacular ancient art gallery. Famous works such as Polo Game, Foreign Envoys, Watching Birds and Catching Cicadas, Hunting Scene and Imperial Procession are of great value for the research on Tang painting, architecture, costumes, folk customs, sports, court life and foreign exchanges.

Princess Yongtai, courtesy names Xianhui and Nonghui, was the granddaughter of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian, and the seventh daughter of Emperor Zhongzong. She passed away in 701 AD at the age of 17. In 706 AD, she was buried alongside her husband Wu Yanji, nephew of Wu Zetian, beside Qianling.

The mausoleum was enclosed by walls, measuring 275 meters from north to south and 220 meters from east to west. A pair of stone lions and ornamental pillars, plus two pairs of stone figures stand outside the southern wall. The central earthen mound now stands 14 meters high with a side length of 56 meters.

The underground burial structure consists of a sloping passage, corridors and front and rear chambers, stretching 87.5 meters in total, with a width of 3.9 meters and a depth of 16.7 meters. A stone sarcophagus carved with patterns of palace maids is placed on the west side of the rear chamber.

Though robbed in ancient times, the tomb still yielded more than 1,300 valuable relics, including gold and silver wares, pottery figurines, tri-color glazed artifacts and bronze objects. The walls are fully covered with murals: Azure Dragon and White Tiger as well as imperial processions decorate the east and west walls of the passage; paintings of maids adorn the front chamber; and an astronomical chart is painted on the ceiling of the rear chamber. The graceful, full-figured maidens depicted with smooth, skillful lines represent top-tier art among surviving Tang tomb murals.

Li Xian, Prince Zhanghuai, was exiled to Bazhou (present-day Bazhong, Sichuan) by Wu Zetian in 684 AD and later committed suicide. After Emperor Zhongzong restored the throne, Li Xian was reburied at Qianling as Prince Yong in 706 AD. In 711 AD, his tomb was reopened, and he was interred together with his wife Lady Fang with the title Prince Zhanghuai.

Originally surrounded by walls, the tomb complex features a central mound. The underground structure is 71 meters long, 3.3 meters wide and 7 meters deep, composed of a passage, four tunnels, three courtyards, six small niches, two corridors and two chambers. All passageways and chambers are brick-lined. A hip-and-gable styled stone sarcophagus carved with male and female attendants lies in the rear chamber.

The tomb contains 54 murals covering over 400 square meters, including scenes of caravans, polo games, musical performances, maids, bird-and-cicada watching and welcoming guests. These artworks vividly depict royal court life and offer precious materials for studying the social system and lifestyle of Tang nobles. Despite early robberies, more than 600 pottery and tri-color figurines were unearthed here.

Li Chongrun, Prince Yide, was the eldest son of Emperor Zhongzong and grandson of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian. He was executed by flogging along with Princess Yongtai and others in 701 AD. After Emperor Zhongzong regained power, his remains were moved from Luoyang and reburied beside Qianling in 706 AD.

Ruins of the surrounding walls and the tomb mound still remain. A pair of earthen gate towers stand south of the mound, with stone lions, stone figures and ornamental pillars arranged in pairs ahead of them.

The underground structure extends 100 meters in total, comprising a passage, six tunnels, seven courtyards, eight side chambers, front and rear corridors as well as main chambers. The corridors and chambers are built with bricks. A stone sarcophagus carved with delicate line drawings of ladies is placed on both sides of the rear chamber.