Visit Xi'an, China: Qianling Mausoleum of China's Only Female Emperor
Did Wu Zetian (625-705) really kill off her children? Who knows but she was the first and only female in Chinese history to rule the country as an emperor!
I expected to visit a Mausoleum filled with antiquities; another case of misinterpretating what I think is on the itinerary. Still, an important historical sight in Xi'an.
September 2018
The Qianling Mausoleum 乾陵 The mural Tomb of Prince Yide 懿德太子墓 Xi'an 西安 武則天
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The Qianling Mausoleum 乾陵 The mural Tomb of Prince Yide 懿德太子墓 Xi'an 西安 武則天
The Qianling Mausoleum 乾陵 :
The Qianling Mausoleum (Chinese: 乾陵; pinyin: Qiánlíng) is a Tang dynasty (618–907) tomb site located in Qian County, Shaanxi province, China, and is 85 km (53 mi) northwest from Xi'an, formerly the Tang capital. Built by 684 (with additional construction until 706), the tombs of the mausoleum complex house the remains of various members of the House of Li, the imperial family of the Tang dynasty. This includes Emperor Gaozong (r. 649–83), as well as his wife, Wu Zetian, who usurped the Tang throne and became China's only governing female emperor from 690–705. The mausoleum is renowned for its many Tang dynasty stone statues located above ground and the mural paintings adorning the subterranean walls of the tombs. Besides the main tumulus mound and underground tomb of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian, there are 17 smaller attendant tombs or peizang mu. Presently, only five of these attendant tombs have been excavated by archaeologists, three belonging to members of the imperial family, one to a chancellor, and the other to a general of the left guard.
The mural Tomb of Prince Yide 懿德太子墓 :
The Tomb of Prince Yide is located in Xianyang, about 55 miles (88 km) away from downtown Xian. It is the nearest one among the 17 attendant tombs of Qianling Mausoleum, the resting place of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907AD). The tomb we are discussing is that of Prince Yide, also known as Li Chongrun (682 - 701), the grandson of Wu Zetian.
Officially known as Prince Yide, Li Chongrun is the eldest son of the Tang Emperor Zhongzong and the grandson of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian. He was one of victims of his formidable and self-seeking grandmother Empress Wu. In 701, Prince Yide, together with his younger sister and her husband, were sentenced to death in Luoyang in Henan Province at the tender age of just 19 for discussing something opposing Empress Wu’s autocracy. In 705, he was conferred the title of Crown Prince Yide posthumously when his father ascended to the throne. Then he was laid to rest in the present decent tomb, which was decorated with stone lions, stone figures and ornamental columns. Although the columns are badly disintegrated, the edifice is a tribute to his importance at that time.
Qianling Mausoleum
The Qianling Mausoleum located North West of Xi'an is a most interesting place to visit. It was built in 684 AD and houses the tombs Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian China's first (and only) governing empress.
By David Goorney
China Series: Tang Dynasty Tomb - Tang Shunling 唐顺陵
Located in Xianyang (near the airport), from the year 670AD we have the tomb and surrounding mausoleum area belonging to Lady Yang (杨氏), who was the mother of China's first and only female emperor Wu Zetian. Her mother's mausoleum is an example of the power Wu Zetian held during her reign, as it is larger and more elaborate than some of the Tang emperors themselves had.
Obviously there are some modern touches in the grounds here, but the stone figures, tomb and gate foundation mounds are original.
Yes, it's a longish video, but I wanted to do the place justice by showing it from front to back (the actual tomb is the pyramid mound I climb at the end). The area is actually larger than what I showed in the video, as there are also some stone lions and horses at compass points (typical of Tang tombs) in the surrounding farmland. However I didn't have time to check them out, not to mention said surrounding farm areas were rather intimidatingly fenced off for some reason (which isn't often the case in China).
Please come and check out places like this if you visit China. Most of them, as was the case here, are free of admission, and it's a shame that they tend to be unknown or of little interest to tourists (both local and international). I had this place almost to myself - which makes me both happy and disappointed at the same time.
A wealth of information here in Chinese :
All music used courtesy of the talented Shane Ivers:
The Qianling Mausoleum in Xian
The Qianling Mausoleum is the mausoleum of Emperor Gaozong and his wife Empress Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history.
Xi'an Daming Palace National Heritage Park Museum, China
Video by Donia Zhang 2017
Zhao Mausoleum, Tang Dynasty near Zhaoling, China
Hiking to the top of the mountain, December 14, 2018. Drone footage via DJI Mavic 2 Pro
The Qianling Mausoleum in Xian
Qianling Mausoleum is encircled by many satellite tombs which belong to the princes, princess, officers and concubines of the emperors.
Tomb of Princess Yongtai
Another interesting place to visit is the tomb of Princess Yongtai located near the Qianling Mausoleum. Princess Yongtai was the granddaughter of Tang Emperor Gaozong and his wife Empress Wu Zetian. The Qianling Tomb was built in 705 A.D.
By David Goorney
Qianling Mausoleum, a tomb with magical power which has never been stolen
Xi'an: Western Tour (2): Qianling Mausoleum, Grabanlage / tomb site Gaozong 西安市 (長安): 西线游览: 乾陵 (唐乾陵)
OK Business News CHINA 中国
Hier finden Sie Nachrichten und Informationen aus allen CHINA-relevanten Bereichen, wie z.B. Wirtschaft, Politik, Kultur, Land und Leute! Bitte abonnieren!
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皇帝高宗之死 The death of emperor Gaozong
Xi'an 西安市 ซีอาน - Qianling Mausoleum 唐乾陵 สุสานเฉียหลิง
My trip to Xi'an (西安市) (ซีอาน), China in 1998, visiting the Qianling Mausoleum (唐乾陵) (สุสานเฉียหลิง), the tomb of Emperor Gaozong and his Empress Wu Zetian on the summit of Liangshan Hill
Xi'an Beilin Museum
Stone tablets from the 600s. Confucious. First Christian Tablet , etc. In Xi'an, China
The Empress Who Ruled The World (Chinese History Documentary) | Timeline
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She’s probably the most controversial woman in Chinese history – Wu Zetian, who rose from lowly concubine to become the only woman in all Chinese history to dare to take the title “Emperor”
Since her death 1,300 years ago, Wu Zetian has been remembered as a callous tyrant, who brought calamity to China. But now, extraordinary new discoveries are revealing a very different picture of her reign.
As archaeologists investigate hidden tombs, spectacular pagodas, gigantic palaces and priceless treasures from her time, they are uncovering a very different story of China’s female Emperor, her skills and her empire. Wu Zetian’s China was a military, economic and cultural superpower, whose influence stretched from the edge of the Mediterranean to Japan and India. Recent discoveries reveal the wealth and stability of her reign, and point to her skills as a politician and a leader. But they also provide tantalising new evidence of the cruelty and violence at the heart of her regime.
With hands-on investigations and access to the treasures of Wu Zetian’s time, this film tries to give a definitive answer to the question: was Emperor Wu an evil tyrant or one of the most successful rulers in all Chinese history?
Produced by True North
Licensed from TVF International
Xi'an: Western Tour (3): Grab der Prinzessin Yongtai; Tomb of Princess Yongtai 西线游览:(唐)乾陵陪葬墓 - 永泰公主墓
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Shaanxi History Museum and a Tang Dynasty Palace in Xi'an
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Qian Ling Mausoleum by Low Hui Ting
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (唐中宗) (26 November 656 -- 3 July 710), personal name Li Xian (李顯), at times during his life Li Zhe (李哲) and Wu Xian (武顯), was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.
Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). He succeeded his father in 684. His mother, however, deposed him less than two months later in favor of his younger brother Emperor Ruizong. The former emperor, demoted to a princely rank, was sent in exile in the provinces and placed under house arrest. Six years later, Emperor Ruizong in turn relinquished the throne to his mother and Empress Dowager Wu officially proclaimed herself Emperor, while Emperor Ruizong was made crown prince.
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Rare Chinese jade seal sold for 4,450,000 USD
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