How to Visit Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing

Enlisted as World Cultural Heritage Site, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing...

Jul 20, 2021Published

4 min readReading time

Hebei TravelGuide topic

Enlisted as World Cultural Heritage Site, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty are located 135 kilometers east of downtown Beijing. It is the largest existing imperial mausoleum complex in China, with the most complete system and the most appropriate layout.

135 km drive eastward from downtown Beijing to Eastern Qing Tombs

The whole burial site is surrounded by the mountains on its four sides – Changrui Mountain, Jinxing Mountain, Huanghua Mountain, and Yingfei Daoyang Mountain, extending 80 square kilometers with good fengshui.

The whole burial site is surrounded by the mountains on its four sides ( Internet )

The basic layout of the Eastern Qing Tombs is composed of three areas: spirit way, palaces, and offering kitchens. The Spirit Way is 6,000 meters long, much longer than the Spirit Way in the Ming Tombs in the suburban Beijing. Altogether, the construction of the whole mausoleum took 247 years ( 1661 – 1908).

The over-6000-meter Spirit Way ( Internet )

Totally, five emperors in Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) – Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Tongzhi, were buried here accompanied by 15 empresses, 136 imperial concubines, three princes, and two princesses of the Qing dynasty who were also buried here.

The tomb of Ding Dongling was where Dowager Empress Cixi was buried.

Ding Dongling Tomb Exterior ( Internet )

Yuling is the tomb of the Qianlong Emperor, the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty(1644-1911), is considered the the most splendid one of all the royal tombs in Chinese history. It has a ornate and delicate chamber which is composed of nine vaults divided by four solid marble doors lying at a depth of 54 meters. All the walls, ceilings and gates are carved and painted with Buddhist figures and over 30,000 words of Tibetan scripture and Sanskrit.

Yuling Tomb Exterior (Qianlong Emperor) ( Internet )

Ticket Information

Peak Season ( April - Oct )

Combo ticket: 108 yuan/person
Covering: Main Goddess Road of Xiaoling Mausoleum, Yuling Mausoleum (Qianlong), Dingdong Mausoleum (Cixi), Yuconcubine Garden (Xiang concubine), Xiaoling Mausoleum (Shunzhi), Jingling Mausoleum (Kangxi), Erlang Temple.

Low Season ( Nov - Next March )

Combo ticket: 80 yuan/person
Covering: Main Goddess Road of Xiaoling Mausoleum, Yuling Mausoleum (Qianlong), Dingdong Mausoleum (Cixi), Yuconcubine Garden (Xiang concubine), Xiaoling Mausoleum (Shunzhi), Jingling Mausoleum (Kangxi), Erlang Temple.

Electric Sightseeing Car : 30 RMB ( from the entrance to the sights inside the compound )

How to Get to Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing

No direct public buses going from Beijing to the imperial mausoleum complex. Some travellers use the long-distance buses starting from Sihui Long-Distance Bus Station in Beijing, which is opposite to the Exit A of Sihui Station of Subway Line 1, but it is a bit daunting and time consuming, giving that you have to get off at the toll gate, then take a taxi there. So self-drive or hiring a car is highly recommended.

Self-drive or private vehicle ( 130 km driving to the east )
Starting from Dongzhimen, take Airport Expressway -- Jingping Expressway (over Pinggu) -- Jinjji Expressway (over Jixian) -- S302 Xibang Road, and arrive at the ticket office, totally about 130 kilometers. It is about 93 kilometers from Dongzhimen to the exit of the expressway, and 37 kilometers to the ticket office after exiting from the expressway.

Note: On public holidays there are shuttle buses in front of the Xuanwumen Church in Beijing going to the Eastern Qing Tombs.