Eastern Qing Tombs

September 15, 2011 On Thursday I had the pleasure of visiting the Eastern Qing Tombs with Chairman Cheung, Mr. Sun and Sylvie. The tombs are open in Zunhua County, Hebei Province, 125km east of Beijing. The occasion was to celebrate the outgoing principal Sylvie for her work in the last two years. The Qing Tombs have been open for more than 20 years. Altogether, 5 emperors, 15 emperesses, 136 concubines, 3 princes, and 2 princesses are buried in 15 tombs here. The first to be buried was Shunzhi – the first Qing emperor to reign from Beijing –in 1663 and the last imperial concubine in 1935. Each tomb has an approach road or Spirit Way, which may have guardian figures. The entrance to the tomb is usually preceded by a large steel pavilion and marble bridges over a stream. To the right, the buildings were used for preparation of sacrifices. Inside the gate, halls to the left, and right were used for enrobing and other preparations, and now house exhibitions, as usually each hall of eminent favour, at the rear, where ceremonies in honour of the deceased took place. Behind a doorway allows access past a stone alter to a steep ramp leading to the base of a soul tower. We visited the Yu Ling, the finest tomb chamber; a series of rooms separated by solid marble doors with walls and arched ceilings engraved with Buddha figures and more than 30,000 words of Tibetan scripture. The 3-ton doors themselves have reliefs of bodyhisattvas (being on the road to enlightment) and four protective kings usually found at temple entrances. When we finished visiting the tombs, it is tradition to visit the Buddhist Temple to pay respects to the deceased emperors. Chairman Cheung paid respects on behalf of all of us.

Qing Tombs