Visting the Eastern Qing Tombs
| Located 125 km northeast of Beijing the Eastern Qing Tombs (Qingdongling),like the Western Qing Tombs,are the burial groundes of Qing Dynasty emperors, empresses and imperial concubines.The area is about 25sq km.
Traditionally,great care was taken in choosing a tomb site ,as this was supposed to affect the prosperity or otherwise of one抯 decendants. The art of geomancy,or fengshui was highly revered and used for picking one抯 last resting place. The Eastern Qing Tombs are reckoned to have perfect fengshui which protects them from natural disasters. Indeed when an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale hit Tang shan less than 100 km away,in 1976,the tomb area was unaffected even though the quake toppled buildings as far away as in Beijng . Construction of the first tomb was begun in the second year of the reign of Empero Kangxi(1663)and the area contains the mausoleums of the following emperor:Shunzhi (1644-1661)Kangxi (1662-1722)Qianlong (1736-1796).Xianfeng(1851-1861)and Tongzhi (1862-1875).The most remarkable one is that of Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908)In addition, there are the tombs of 14 empresses 136 imperial concubines and several princesses. The tombs of Qianlong and a Cixi have been renovated,and are open to the public.Cixi was co 杛egent with another empress dowager, Ci抋n and their tombs as was the custom.were prepared during their lifetimes at the same time and in the same style Cixi. However.was not Stisfied with her 揳ccommodation.攁nd had it rebuilt at enormous expense. In1928.the warlord Sun Dian ying on the pretext of using the area fo military maneuvers plundered the mausoleums of both Qianlong and Cixi .It is said that 25000 pearls 200 pieces of jade and 80 gems were stolen from Cixi抯 coffin as wellas a priceless.luminous pearl placed in her mouth. Objects left behind by the looters can be viewed in an exhibition hall in Cixi抯 mausoleum.They in clued the Empress Dowager抯 clothing and burial garment s paintings and articles of daily use. How to get there In Zun hua County,Hebei Province ????? |
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