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30° North Latitude——This is a "magical" latitude!
There are many mysterious areas near this latitude, such as the Bermuda Triangle, Naples' "Death Valley", "China's Bermuda" Heizhu Valley, the Dead Sea...
The "Four Ancient Civilizations" of ancient China, Egypt, India, and Babylon were also born along this latitude. Human civilization originated here! The 30° North Latitude also contains the genetic code that unlocks human civilization, one located in the west and one in the east!
The Valley of the Kings, located on the west bank of the Nile River in Egypt, is one of them. 64 pharaohs of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt are buried here. Like the Egyptian pyramids, this place has become the key to uncovering the ancient Egyptian civilization!
In the far east, there is also a mysterious Valley of the Kings, where 72 ancient Chinese emperors before 888 AD are buried. The key to uncovering the civilization of the four major dynasties of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang is buried here!
This is the Guanzhong Imperial Tombs in Shaanxi
Departing from Xi'an | 6 days and 5 nights
Cultural Travel·Eastern Valley of the Kings·Interpreting the Millennium Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties with Experts for 6 Days
￥3580 from 224 people have registered Register nowThe Guanzhong Plain is located in central Shaanxi, bordering the Loess Plateau to the north and the Qinling Mountains to the south. The Wei River flows through it and merges into the Yellow River.
In the 11th century BC, the Zhou people built a city wall here, and the Guanzhong Plain officially became the core of Chinese civilization. Qinzhong has been an imperial state since ancient times. The Guanzhong Plain, with its nine mountains and eight rivers, has fostered a thousand years of historical evolution. The tombs of three of the well-known figures, "Qin Shi Huang, Han Wudi, Tang Taizong, and Song Taizu," are all located here. There are also the Eighteen Tombs of the Tang Dynasty, the Eleven Tombs of the Western Han Dynasty, the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor, and the Mausoleum of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. This is how the folk proverb, "Talents in the south, generals in the north, emperors buried in the loess of Shaanxi," became popular.
We also explored the ancient sites in the Eastern Valley of the Kings and made this product from the ruins of broken walls, exquisite cultural relics in museums, the spectacular and shocking imperial mausoleums, and the deep and dark underground mausoleums.
We have carefully selected 7 imperial tombs, 4 national museums, 3 underground mausoleums, and 1 Famen Underground Palace. We invite you to join China-TravelNote in uncovering the secrets of civilization and writing this tomb-visiting diary!
The largest pre-Qin tomb unearthed in China
Emperor: Duke Jing of Qin
In 1976, a villager, needing to dig up some earth to repair his courtyard wall, arrived here with a cart and discovered the soil was yellow, red, and very hard. A few days later, the villagers mentioned this in a casual conversation, and archaeologists learned of it and came to explore. Their findings were astonishing! The cemetery covers 5,334 square meters, the size of two international-standard basketball courts, and is 24.5 meters deep!
In 1986, the archaeological team began excavation. This excavation was hailed as a groundbreaking event in the history of archaeology at home and abroad because five of the best in the history of archaeology were discovered here!
The earliest and highest-grade burial objects unearthed to date - Huangchangtichou
The earliest tombstone in Chinese burial history was unearthed
The earliest stone chime with inscriptions was unearthed. There are more than 180 characters on the stone chime.
The largest number of human sacrifices ever discovered in archaeological history was 186...
It is also the largest pre-Qin tomb excavated in China, dating back more than 2,500 years.
The tomb's owner, Duke Jing of Qin, was the 14th ruler who ruled the Qin State for 39 years. He openly adopted the emperor's burial rituals and burial utensils, which shows that the Qin State's ambition was no longer limited to this corner of Guanzhong.
One of the largest, most uniquely structured, and richest imperial tombs in the world
Emperor: Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng
The most mysterious tomb among all the imperial tombs in China must be the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang!
The Terracotta Army, which shocked the world, is only one of the burial pits of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, and is located outside the mausoleum area. There are more than 400 similar burial pits that have been discovered.
The Qin Bronze Chariot and Horse is the biggest attraction here. It is the largest, most complex and most complete ancient chariot and horse unearthed in the history of Chinese archaeology. It is known as the "Crown of Bronze".
In the terracotta warrior pit and the civil servant pit in the mausoleum, you can also see pottery figurines that are different from the Terracotta Warriors. It is called a milestone in the history of ancient Chinese sculpture!
Tourists who come to the Terracotta Warriors often ignore this place, but they never know that it hides the biggest secret of the Qin Empire.
The most complete underground mausoleum among the Western Han Dynasty imperial tombs
Emperor: Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi
Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi, was the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty. Together with his father, Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, he initiated the "Reign of Wen and Jing", which laid a solid economic foundation for Emperor Wu of Han to expand the territory. Among the eleven imperial tombs of the Western Han Dynasty, the Hanyang Tomb is also the most special. After more than 30 years of archaeological excavations, more than 100,000 cultural relics have been unearthed, and a mausoleum museum where you can walk underground has been built!
The sculpture art of the Hanyang Mausoleum is very exquisite. There is also a terracotta army in neat rows, which is majestic. The terracotta army of the Qin Dynasty focused on realism, and the proportions of the figurines were close to those of real people, but the terracotta army of the Han Dynasty focused more on freehand painting, focusing on the expressions of the carved figures.
Most of the Han Dynasty pottery figurines have upturned eyebrows, eyes, and lips, as if smiling from the heart, representing the mental state of the Han people under the "Reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing"
The Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago gradually unfolds before your eyes through these cultural relics!
It set a precedent for the feudal emperors of the Tang Dynasty to build their tombs on mountains.
Emperor: Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin
From the Qin and Han dynasties' mausoleums made of earth to the Ming and Qing dynasties' treasure cities and treasure tops, the forms of emperors' tombs have also changed. However, when it comes to the most shocking forms of imperial tombs, it must be the Tang Dynasty. "Mausoleums built on mountains" is the form of imperial tombs in the Tang Dynasty, which means that tombs are dug in the mountains. A mountain is an imperial tomb!
Zhaoling Mausoleum set a precedent for the Tang Dynasty imperial mausoleum system of "building mausoleums on mountains". It was built in Jiuyi Mountain in Liquan County.
Covering an area of 200 square kilometers and containing more than 180 burial pits, it is the largest and most numerous imperial mausoleum in China. This mausoleum vividly displays the kingly spirit of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
The only tomb in China where an emperor and his wife are buried together, the crown of the imperial tombs of the Tang Dynasty
Emperor: Wu Zetian/Emperor Gaozong of Tang Li Zhi
"Thousands of years of public cases have turned into clouds and rain, hundreds of acres of fertile land have become dirt fields, the head of the blank stele is engraved with words, who can recognize the ancient Kun Yuan." - Guo Moruo
Since the Qin and Han dynasties, countless emperors and generals have had their biographies written down on their monuments. However, the stele of China's only legitimate female emperor remains blank, leaving her achievements and failures to be recorded by future generations. Qianling Mausoleum, a unique mausoleum in China and perhaps even the world, where two emperors of different dynasties, and an imperial couple, are buried together, holds countless mysteries!
The "Sixty-One Foreign Ministers" statues have stood in front of Qianling Mausoleum for over 1,300 years. Each statue is dressed in a different manner, yet all stand respectfully with their hands cupped forward. Inscribed on the back of each statue are: Pei Yijianmisi, King of Shule; Ninieshishi, King of Kang; Yuchi Jing, King of Khotan; Peroz, King of Persia... ...
"The palace gates of the Nine Heavens are opened, and people from all nations come to pay homage to the emperor." How magnificent the scene of the Tang Dynasty must have been when all nations came to pay homage!
The finest stone carving art of Tang Dynasty tombs
Emperor: Li Dan, Emperor Ruizong of Tang
The Tang Dynasty was a "dynasty of art"! Its poetry has been passed down for millennia, its calligraphy has influenced generations, and three of China's ten most famous paintings are from the Tang Dynasty. One of them, "The Dance of the Colorful Skirt and Feathered Robe," has been passed down to this day!
Stone carving also reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty. Ancient Chinese sculpture is one of the three major traditional sculptures in the world. Tang Dynasty sculpture has a far-reaching influence. The stone carvings of Tang Dynasty tombs represent the highest level of ancient Chinese tomb sculptures, and Qiaoling stone carvings are the best among them.
Qiaoling was built during the prosperous Kaiyuan Period, when China was at its peak. The artistic modeling of the stone carvings sought to display the grandeur and magnificence of prosperity. After thousands of years of wind and rain, the more than 50 huge stone carvings preserved in Tang Qiaoling, including stone huabiao, stone ostriches, stone horses, stone men, stone unicorns, stone lions, etc., are still clear in shape, vivid and natural, telling the majesty and glory of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Among them, the stone lion at Qinglong Gate is squatting and looking back, which is called "Lion Looking Back". It is a representative of stone carvings in Tang Dynasty tombs and is very rare!
Uncovering the secrets of Chang'an after the An-Shi Rebellion
Emperor: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, is one of the most legendary emperors in Chinese history. The "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" is a tragic elegy for a beauty in troubled times, and the "Place of Eternal Life" is the lingering dream of a lovelorn emperor. He created the "Kaiyuan Prosperity", the peak of the Tang Dynasty, and he also caused the "Anshi Rebellion", which plunged the prosperous Tang Dynasty into the abyss of destruction.
1,200 years have passed. The prosperous city of Chang'an has undergone many changes, and the majestic imperial tombs have become ruins and overgrown with weeds.
"The mountains and rivers were magnificent through the ages, but now they are all gone." The heyday of the Tang Dynasty has come to an end, but the thread of history has continued to flow on this land.
This is the tomb where Li Maozhen, the King of Qin in the Tang Dynasty, and his wife were buried together. It is a rare underground mausoleum in the country.
Here is the best-preserved and largest underground flying eaves ancient building Duanlou in the country, which is a "theft-proof door" designed by the ancients.
It is 8 meters high and 4 meters wide. There is no beam supporting the building above. It is supported entirely by the stones below. If any stone here is removed, the building will collapse instantly, which serves as an anti-theft measure!
Princess Yongtai was the granddaughter of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, and Empress Wu Zetian, and her tomb is one of the 17 accompanying tombs in Qianling Mausoleum.
As the most beloved daughter of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, the specifications of her mausoleum are equal to those of the emperor. This is also the only princess mausoleum in China. During archaeological excavations, due to its high specifications, it was once believed by archaeologists to be the tomb of Prince Zhanghuai.
The most complete mural of Tang Dynasty maids in my country was also discovered here, providing important information for the study of the secular customs of the Tang Dynasty.
This is also one of the 17 tombs of Qianling Mausoleum. Prince Yide was the eldest son of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian. He should have become the emperor, but became a victim of the imperial coup.
After Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, seized the throne through the "Shenlong Coup", he reburied his son in accordance with imperial regulations, so the underground mausoleum here is almost the same as the imperial mausoleum.
Here you can learn about the shape and specifications of the underground palace of the Tang Dynasty emperors.
This is the largest bronze museum in China, located in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province. The bronzes here account for half of China's bronzes.
As the "birthplace of Zhou and Qin dynasties", Baoji has unearthed tens of thousands of bronze artifacts, including the most representative "Four National Treasures of the Late Qing Dynasty" (Mao Gong Ding, Dayu Ding, Guo Ji Zi Bai Pan, and Sanshi Pan).
The Baoji Bronze Museum has a collection of more than 480,000 cultural relics, including more than 120 first-class cultural relics, ranking 11th in the country. It can be said that if you want to understand the history of Zhou and Qin, you can only come here!
China's first large-scale modern national museum has a collection of more than 1.7 million cultural relics, including 18 national treasures and two of the first batch of cultural relics prohibited from being exhibited abroad, ranking it among the top museums in China.
The "Hejiacun Tang Dynasty Treasures Exhibition" was even more astonishing. Two old men and a jar contained over a thousand treasures. Who owned them? When were they buried? Why were they buried? These are all unsolved mysteries.
One of the eight wonders of the world, it is the largest ancient military museum in China.
Thousands of terracotta warriors are arranged one by one, all of them are life-size, and each of them looks different, which can be described as "a thousand people with a thousand faces"!
The most famous things here are the Tang Dynasty Stele Forest and Tang Dynasty murals!
The Zhaoling Stele Forest is the most specialized stele forest in the country that preserves the largest number of famous steles of Tang Dynasty calligraphy art. The well-known "Li Ji Stele" by Xu Maogong of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Li Zhi, the "Wen Yanbo Stele" written by Ouyang Xun, and the "Zhaoling Six Horses Stele" written by Chu Suiliang are all preserved here.
The murals in the Tang Dynasty tombs of Zhaoling are rich in content and ingenious in composition, covering a total area of more than 500 square meters.
"An underground palace represents half of the prosperous Tang Dynasty"
On April 3, 1987, a cave was accidentally discovered under a pagoda. In this cave, 2,499 Tang Dynasty treasures and 4 Buddha relics were found. This is the underground palace of Famen Temple that shocked the world.
Thousands of years ago, eight Tang Dynasty emperors opened the underground palace of Famen Temple once every 30 years. Countless of the world's most precious treasures were transported into the underground palace to enshrine the Buddha's relics.
Thousands of years later, the Famen Temple declined, the pagoda collapsed, and this Buddhist underground palace was rediscovered. We will come here to view these Buddhist treasures!
As we revisit the devastated Guanzhong Imperial Tombs, we shuttle between the ground, steles, stone carvings, winged horses, mythical beasts, and rammed earth.
Visiting the long and dark underground tomb passages and underground palaces, and marveling at the thousand-year-old cultural relics unearthed in the museum, it seems as if we have also walked through thousands of years of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties.
We have carefully selected the most representative imperial tombs/underground palaces/museums in Guanzhong, and invite you to witness the vicissitudes of history and the rise and fall of dynasties!
