The Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

There is a kind of saying that a civilization with a long history is very likely to have a large number of ancient mausoleums. As one of the most ancient civilizations, China is also famous for its imperial tombs which are in large numbers and scales.

The Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties consist of the Xianling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Tombs in Beijing, the Three Imperial Tombs in Shenyang, Liaoning Province (Yongling Tomb, Fuling Tomb and Zhaoling Tomb), and the Eastern and Western Qing Tombs. All these tombs are located in topographical settings carefully chosen according to principles of geomancy and comprise numerous buildings of traditional architectural design and decoration. They reflect the general belief in an afterlife of these emperors as well as an affirmation and worship of power and authority.