IMPERIAL TOMB ZHAO LING

Located under a hill with other tombs around, Zhao Ling breaks with the tradition of building tombs in the plains surmounted by a mound. It is China's largest necropolis (20 000 ha) comprising 160 tombs, including that of Emperor Tai Zong (627-650), son of the founder of the Tang Dynasty. Six stone messengers mark the tomb entrance. The other graves are for members of the imperial family, army officers, ministers and important advisers of the government. It was a great honour to be able to be buried near the son of Heaven. On site, there is a museum exhibiting small funeral statuettes in the Imperial Army. Very few tombs have been opened until today.