A Royal Tomb, Half a History of the Qing Dynasty | The Qing Western Tombs in Yixian County, Baoding, Hebei

【A Royal Tomb, Half a History of the Qing Dynasty】The Qing Western Tombs were established in the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign (1730) and took 186 years to complete. They are the burial site of Emperors Yongzheng, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Guangxu, as well as 9 empresses, 57 imperial concubines, 2 princesses, 2 princes, and 6 imperial sons, totaling 80 individuals. Out of the 4 royal tombs, 3 are open to the public, reflecting the rise and fall of the Qing dynasty through their scale and system. The Tailing of Yongzheng is grand and imposing; the Muling of Daoguang is the smallest in scale, with its Long'en Hall made of Phoebe zhennan wood being the highlight; the Chongling of Guangxu appears somewhat modest, and from its opened underground palace (which was robbed in 1938), one can glimpse the elegance of the royal tombs. Fortunately, the other underground palaces have not been robbed and, like the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, remain in their original state and will not be excavated. Many secrets of the Qing palace may thus be buried underground forever. As a World Cultural Heritage site, the Qing Western Tombs are flawless except for the slightly expensive tickets! ⏳Visiting Time: 3-5 hours 🚉Transportation Tips: Self-driving is the most convenient 🎫Ticket: 108 yuan, adult 🗓Itinerary: Muling—Xichangling—Tailing—Chongling—Yongfu Temple