The art of ancient Chinese mausoleum architecture

    The West Qing Mausoleum, more than 120 kilometers away from Beijing, is the burial place of four emperors from the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. It was built in the eighth year of Yongzheng (1730) and covers an area of more than 800 square kilometers.

    There are 14 mausoleums in theWestern Qing Tombs: 4 imperial tombs;3 empress tombs: ; There are 3 imperial concubine tombs and 4 other tombs (. More than 70 people including four emperors, nine empresses, 56 concubines, princes and princesses were buried.

    In the cemetery area, there are more than 1,000 palace buildings and more than 100 ancient buildings and sculptures. Each tomb strictly follows the mausoleum construction system of the Qing Dynasty. The tombs of emperors and queens are covered with yellow glazed tiles, while the gardens of concubines, princesses and princes are covered with green glazed tiles. These different architectural forms show different landscapes and styles.
    Each cemetery in the West Mausoleum area of the Qing Dynasty shares ancestral mountains, stone archways and red gates, surrounded by fengshui walls, fire paths and boundary piles. Mausoleum layout has master and subordinate, the empress mausoleum and the imperial concubine garden are centered on the imperial mausoleum of this dynasty, built around, a district of its own, reflecting the affiliated relationship, indicating the meaning of be buried with the dead.

    With a large number of physical images and written historical materials, The Western Qing Tombs show from different aspects the major development and change of the architectural style of Chinese tombs and the royal religious belief from the 1730s to the early 20th century, making important contributions to the innovation and development of the architectural art of ancient Chinese tombs. It has irreplaceable historical, artistic, scientific and appreciation value of the mausoleum buildings before the Qing Dynasty.