IMPERIAL TOMBS OF QIANLING

Excavated at the side of Mount Liangshan is the communal necropolis of Emperor Guanzhong (628-683) and his wife Empress Wu Zetian (624-705) and his sons and daughters. Zhanghua, the emperor's second son, and Princess Yongtai are buried in separate tombs on the site. The Empress Wu Zetian was a married of the father of Guangzhong, Taizong. This did not prevent him from séduire his son and becoming Empress. At his death, she took power in the hands of the successor appointed by the emperor. She then assumed only the power in absolute fashion until her death, where Zhongzong legitimately ousted successor goes back to the throne. The tomb Qian Ling is the most representative of the 18 imperial tombeaux tombs. The three hills that shelter it lie in the Guanzhong plain. To the southwest of the mausoleum there are 17 tombs of small size for civil servants.

Impérial Impérial Imperial Tomb (黔岭陵). It's by going down the imposing way of the Esprits (or Allée) of about 1 km, that the majesty of the places is best felt. The paved road, which descends to the vast plain of the valley, is punctuated by great statues of mythical animals, horses and warriors. Along the top of the Spirit, two stone lions keep the southern door, one seems to make a threatening face, the other smiling. The great stele we see here is called the «stele stele» which, in the Chinese language, is a namesake of the name of Empress Wu Zetian. Immediately afterwards, a group of beautiful statues (unfortunately decapitated under the Cultural Revolution) of heads of minorities who attended the funeral of the emperor. It is said that the tomb is inviolate, closed by large blocks of stone sealed by molten metal. You can't visit the inside of Qian Ling's tomb, it hasn't been searched yet.

Tomb of Princess Yong Tai (永太公主墓). The tomb of Princess Yong Tai still contains objects and murals. You get to the tomb by a long corridor dug inside the mound that will get you down to 17 m deep. It still contains the princess's sarcophagus. Very beautiful frescoes with still vivid colours painted in 706-708 adorn the walls of the corridor. They represent the servantes of the palace and the objects that the deceased will need in his life beyond death. And in the niches, terracotta statuettes of the Tang Army. The room before the tomb room contains the most beautiful frescoes. Yong Tai, granddaughter of Emperor Gao Zong and the seventh daughter of Emperor Zhongzhong, suffered a tragic fate: She was murdered at age 17 by order of Empress Wu Zetian. Note the moisture that permeates the walls and the little precautions taken to protect these frescoes. The museum adjoining the tomb Qian Ling is located near the basement of Princess Yong Tai. A small number of objects from the graves are exposed: One can admire very beautiful horses from the Tang era.

Tomb of Prince Zhanghuai (张怀公主墓). Long corridor richly decorated leading to an empty tomb. These are the most beautiful frescoes on the site. Note the finesse of the representations. The stage of the polo game is particularly remarkable even though unfortunately it is no longer in very good condition. Prince Zhanghuai did not have a much better destiny than his sister. He suicide at the age of 31, following his forced exile by the Empress in Sichuan. His remains were reduced only afterwards during his rehabilitation by Emperor Zhongzhong.