Qianling Mausoleum - Yongtai Princess Tomb

There are so many ancient tombs to see just outside of Shaanxi. This Mid-Autumn Festival, I set off on a self-drive trip from Xi'an to visit the long-planned Qianling Mausoleum. The first stop was the Tomb of Princess Yongtai.

Princess Yongtai, Li Xianhui, was the seventh daughter of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (Li Xian) and the granddaughter of Empress Wu Zetian. Historical records state that on September 3, 701, her brother Li Chongrun (Prince Yide) and her husband, Wu Yanji, the Prince of Wei, were executed by Wu Zetian for privately discussing the Zhang brothers (Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong). The epitaph on her tomb, however, states that Princess Yongtai died on September 4 due to a miscarriage ("zhu tai hui yue"). Given the timing, it's difficult to believe that this difficult birth was unrelated to the execution of her brother and husband. At the time of her death, Yongtai was still a commandery princess, only seventeen years old. After Emperor Zhongzong was restored to the throne, he posthumously bestowed upon her the title of Princess and, in 706, had her remains moved to be reburied near the Qianling Mausoleum. The scale of her tomb is comparable to that of an emperor, making her the only princess in ancient Chinese history whose tomb is referred to as a "ling" (mausoleum).

The princess's tomb was once robbed, and as a result, the underground palace has been opened to the public. Entering the tomb passage, you can see that the underground palace consists of five passageways, six courtyards, eight side chambers, front and rear corridors, and front and rear burial chambers. The original funerary objects and murals have been moved to several museums, leaving only the stone coffin in its original location.

The most famous murals are the "Court Ladies," particularly the one depicting a court lady holding a glass of wine. Her graceful posture and gentle smile have earned her the title of "The First Beauty." Although it's a replica, the exquisite details are still evident.

Post by David King Joseph | Mar 20, 2025