Eastern Qing Tombs – Sacred
burial ground of Qing Dynasty in China
The Eastern Qing Tombs make up an imperial mausoleum
complex from the last feudal empire in China, the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
This sacred burial ground is located near Beijing in Zunhua, Hebei Province.
Most of the tombs at Eastern Qing are open to the public.
The Eastern Qing Tombs are the final resting place
of 5 emperors: Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Tongzhi. In addition,
there are also empresses, imperial concubines, princes, and princesses, all
from the Qing Dynasty buried in the tombs. Their positioning within the tombs
shows their relationships and the hierarchy of rulers and heirs, laid out in a
branch-like system.
The largest and most elaborate tomb, and the focal
point of the whole site is called Xiaoling, which houses the remains of the
Emperor Shunzhi. He was the first Qing ruler, and his position in the mausoleum
shows his exalted status. The Emperor Qianlong has a tomb that covers half a
square kilometer, and is decorated with Tibetan and Sanskrit sutras, and
bas-relief art.
The Empress Dowager Cixi has a tomb called
Dingdongling, which was completed long before her death. The tomb features a
depiction of a phoenix above a dragon – symbols representing the Empress and
Emperor respectively.
