Qianling Tomb


The Qianling Tomb is where the third Tang-dynasty emperor and his empress were
buried together. The third emperor was Li Zhi and his empress was Empress Wu
Zetian. This is the most representative among the eighteen Tang-dynasty tombs and
the best preserved.

The Qianling Tomb was built in the 2nd year after Tang Gaozong passed away, it
was said it was started to build from 684 and lasted for 23 years. The Liangshan
Mountain's elevation is 1,047.5 meters high, having three peaks, the north peak is
the highest, the Qianling Tomb regarded the whole north peak as its tomb.

From south to north, there are representatively a pair of ornamented columns which
erected in front of tombs, wing horses and red sparrow, five pairs of stone horses,
ten pairs of stone carved capitals with caps and swords, three pairs of stone horses out of the northern gate.

The first pair of stone carvings are symbolic and indicate that this is a tomb; then come a pair of war steeds and crimson swallows. The steeds
have cloud-pattern curling on their haunches, as though they were flying amidst the clouds. The crimson sparrow is depicted using high relief, with
strong, beautiful carving. According to legends at the time, this mythical bird was sent as a funeral gift to commemorate the emperor from the king
of what is now Afghanistan. It carried the symbolic meanings of both homage and protection, and so was carved into the stone before the tomb.

Two rows of stone stelae come next, with one on the right that is blank: it holds no characters or writing. This was put up on the orders of Empress
Wu Zetian just before she died. She noted that her merit surpassed what later people could judge, and so they were not to write anything on the
stele. It stands 6.3 meters high, and 2.1 meters wide, 1.49 meters in depth. Another stele, in contrast, holds some 8,000 characters, all of which
were inlaid in gold after being carved so that their message could shine out over the empire. The text extols the civilized rule and military power of
Emperor Gao Zong.

The mausoleum is large in scale with 17 satellite tombs of princes, kings and high ministers. In the mausoleum there are some exquisite
carvings of the Tang Dynasty. From south to north, there first come two ornamental columns, two winged horses galloping and then two red birds.
Five pairs of saddled horses come next, each with a groom. The most noteworthy are ten pairs of guardian generals, with very large heads,
wearing long-sleeved robes and hold the hilts of long swords.