Archive for the ‘Zunhua’ Category

How to Visit Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing

Tuesday, July 20th, 2021
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Enlisted as World Cultural Heritage Site, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty are located 135 kilometers east of downtown Beijing. It is the largest existing imperial mausoleum complex in China, with the most complete system and the most appropriate layout.

135 km drive eastward from downtown Beijing to Eastern Qing Tombs

The whole burial site is surrounded by the mountains on its four sides – Changrui Mountain, Jinxing Mountain, Huanghua Mountain, and Yingfei Daoyang Mountain, extending 80 square kilometers with good fengshui.

The whole burial site is surrounded by the mountains on its four sides ( Internet )

The basic layout of the Eastern Qing Tombs is composed of three areas: spirit way, palaces, and offering kitchens. The Spirit Way is 6,000 meters long, much longer than the Spirit Way in the Ming Tombs in the suburban Beijing. Altogether, the construction of the whole mausoleum took 247 years ( 1661 – 1908).

The over-6000-meter Spirit Way ( Internet )

Totally, five emperors in Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) – Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Tongzhi, were buried here accompanied by 15 empresses, 136 imperial concubines, three princes, and two princesses of the Qing dynasty who were also buried here.

The tomb of Ding Dongling was where Dowager Empress Cixi was buried.

Ding Dongling Tomb Exterior ( Internet )

Yuling is the tomb of the Qianlong Emperor, the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty(1644-1911), is considered the the most splendid one of all the royal tombs in Chinese history. It has a ornate and delicate chamber which is composed of nine vaults divided by four solid marble doors lying at a depth of 54 meters. All the walls, ceilings and gates are carved and painted with Buddhist figures and over 30,000 words of Tibetan scripture and Sanskrit.

Yuling Tomb Exterior (Qianlong Emperor) ( Internet )

Ticket Information

Peak Season ( April – Oct )

Combo ticket: 108 yuan/person
Covering: Main Goddess Road of Xiaoling Mausoleum, Yuling Mausoleum (Qianlong), Dingdong Mausoleum (Cixi), Yuconcubine Garden (Xiang concubine), Xiaoling Mausoleum (Shunzhi), Jingling Mausoleum (Kangxi), Erlang Temple.

Low Season ( Nov – Next March )

Combo ticket: 80 yuan/person
Covering: Main Goddess Road of Xiaoling Mausoleum, Yuling Mausoleum (Qianlong), Dingdong Mausoleum (Cixi), Yuconcubine Garden (Xiang concubine), Xiaoling Mausoleum (Shunzhi), Jingling Mausoleum (Kangxi), Erlang Temple.

Electric Sightseeing Car : 30 RMB ( from the entrance to the sights inside the compound )

How to Get to Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing

No direct public buses going from Beijing to the imperial mausoleum complex. Some travellers use the long-distance buses starting from Sihui Long-Distance Bus Station in Beijing, which is opposite to the Exit A of Sihui Station of Subway Line 1, but it is a bit daunting and time consuming, giving that you have to get off at the toll gate, then take a taxi there. So self-drive or hiring a car is highly recommended.

Self-drive or private vehicle ( 130 km driving to the east )
Starting from Dongzhimen, take Airport Expressway — Jingping Expressway (over Pinggu) — Jinjji Expressway (over Jixian) — S302 Xibang Road, and arrive at the ticket office, totally about 130 kilometers. It is about 93 kilometers from Dongzhimen to the exit of the expressway, and 37 kilometers to the ticket office after exiting from the expressway.

Note: On public holidays there are shuttle buses in front of the Xuanwumen Church in Beijing going to the Eastern Qing Tombs.

Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Eastern Qing Tombs Day Tour
Huangyaguan Great Wall and Eastern Qing Tombs Day Tour

Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Great Wall Tour
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings


Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Exterior Scene of the Eastern Qing Tombs

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
Top 10 Tourist Scams Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Night Snack Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Beijing Huguosi Street

Any questions, just drop a line.

Exterior Scene of the Eastern Qing Tombs

Friday, February 12th, 2016
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Along with the Western Qing Tombs, the Easternb Qing Tombs were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000. The Eastern and Western Qing Tombs are an imperial mausoleum complex of Qing Dynasty ( 1644 – 1912 ), the last dynasty in Chinese history.

About 135km to the east of Beijing, the Eastern Qing Tombs are located in Zunhua City, Hebei Province. The Eastern Qing  Mausoleum Complex is the largest  extant group of imperial tombs and buildings properly laid out. Here are buried 161 people including five emperors: (Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Tongzhi), 15 empresses, 136 imperial concubines, three princes, and two princesses of the Qing dynasty.

Among the massive and delicate ancient buildings in the Eastern Qing Tombs, there are over 580 single buildings including the extant widest  stone archway, the best preserved 0ver-6000-meter spirit way and the elaborate underground palaces in China.

The Eastern Qing Mausoleum Complex was built after the imperial architectural rules and systems of Ming Dynasty ( 1368 – 1644 ). When you enter the imperial complex, you will first see the stone archway, the largest extant one in China, devoted to the first emperor of Shunzi who ruled over China in Qing Dynasty.

If you are planning your Hebei tour, a day trip to the Eastern Qing Tombs is highly recommended.

The largest extant stone archway in China, 31.35 meters wide and 12.48 meters  high.

The largest extant stone archway in China
The largest extant stone archway in China ( Internet )

Just north of the stone archway is the red gate, the grand palace gate where the imperial spirit way of Xiaoling Tomb starts.

The grand palace gate
The grand palace gate ( Internet )

The over-6000-meter Spirit Way of Xiaoling Tomb ( for Emperor Shunzi ) is the longest spirit ways in the Eastern Qing Tombs and China as well.

The spirit way meanders from south to north lined with 18 pairs of vivid stone statues of officials, officers and animals.

The over-6000-meter Spirit Way of Xiaoling Tomb
The over-6000-meter Spirit Way ( Internet )

Walking further north, you will see the Divine Merit Stelae Pavilion with gable and hip roof with multiple eaves. The stelae record the performance of Emperor Shunxi.

The Divine Merit Stelae Pavilion
The Divine Merit Stelae Pavilion ( Internet )

The Dragon and Phenix Gate, the Qing pattern archway, comprises 6 stone pillars and 4 sections of glazed walls with three gates, a kind of firy archway.

The Dragon and Phenix Gate
The Dragon and Phenix Gate ( Internet )

To the east of Shunzhi’s mausoleum are Jingling (Kangxi Emperor) and Huiling (Tongzhi Emperor).

The  Jingling Tomb (Kangxi Emperor)

The Jingling Tomb Exterior
The Jingling Tomb Exterior ( Internet )

Huiling (Tongzhi Emperor)

Huiling (Tongzhi Emperor).
Huiling (Tongzhi Emperor). ( Internet )

To the west of Xiaoling Tomb ( Shunzi ) lie Yuling (Qianlong Emperor), Ding Dongling (Dowager Empress Cixi and Empress Ci’an), and Dingling (Xianfeng Emperor).

Yuling Tomb Exterior (Qianlong Emperor)

Yuling Tomb Exterior (Qianlong Emperor)
Yuling Tomb Exterior (Qianlong Emperor) ( Internet )

Ding Dongling Tomb Exterior (Dowager Empress Cixi and Empress Ci’an)

Ding Dongling Tomb Exterior
Ding Dongling Tomb Exterior ( Internet )

Dingling Tomb Exterior (Xianfeng Emperor)

Dingling Tomb Exterior
Dingling Tomb Exterior ( Internet )

How to Get to Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing

No direct public buses going from Beijing to the imperial mausoleum complex. Some travellers use the long-distance buses starting from Sihui Long-Distance Bus Station in Beijing, which is opposite to the Exit A of Sihui Station of Subway Line 1, but it is a bit daunting and time consuming, giving that you have to get off at the toll gate, then take a taxi there. So self-drive or hiring a car is highly recommended.

Self-drive or private vehicle ( 130 km driving to the east )
Starting from Dongzhimen, take Airport Expressway — Jingping Expressway (over Pinggu) — Jinjji Expressway (over Jixian) — S302 Xibang Road, and arrive at the ticket office, totally about 130 kilometers. It is about 93 kilometers from Dongzhimen to the exit of the expressway, and 37 kilometers to the ticket office after exiting from the expressway.

Note: On public holidays there are shuttle buses in front of the Xuanwumen Church in Beijing going to the Eastern Qing Tombs.

Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Eastern Qing Tombs Day Tour
Huangyaguan Great Wall and Eastern Qing Tombs Day Tour

Beijing Highlight Day Tour from US$59 P/P
(Tiananmen + Forbidden City + Mutianyu Great Wall)
Beijing Classic City Tour from US$65 P/P
(Tiananmen + Forbidden City + Temple of Heaven + Summer Palace)
Beijing Excursion Tour from US$59 P/P
(Mutianyu Great Wall + Ming Tomb)
Beijing Hutong Highlight Tour from US$59 P/P
( Hutong + Rickshaw)

Mutianyu Great Wall Half Day Tour from US$55 p/p
Hike from Jiankou to Mutianyu Great Wall Day Tour from US$69 p/p

Mutianyu Great Wall Layover Tour from US$65 p/p1
Beijing Highlight Layover Tour from US$75 p/p

Further Readings


Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Exterior Scene of the Eastern Qing Tombs

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Night Snack Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Beijing Huguosi Street

Any questions, just drop a line.