How to visit the tomb of Wang Jian in Chengdu

Plan your Chengdu Tour? The tomb of Wang Jian (王建墓) is worth your visiting if you are interested in Chinese history.

ABC of Wang Jian

During his living years (847-918 AD), Wang Jian was once a general in in later Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). After Tang Dynasty was finished in 907, the whole country went apart and entered the chaotic period of the Five Dynasties and Ten States (907 – 960).

He established the Former Shu Kingdom in 907 here. The founding of the former Shu kingdom greatly enchanced the development of the society, speeded up economic and cultural development as well. He died in 918. His son, Wang Yan succeeded him. He lost his power in 925 to Houtang Dynasty largely due to his negligence and indulgence.

Location of the tomb of Wang Jian and how to get there

Historically known as Yongling (Yongling Mausoleum), the tomb of Wangjian is located in the downtown of Chengdu city at Fuqin Dong Road (the road has been renamed as Yongling Road).

Layout of the tomb of Wang Jian ( Yongling Museum )

This tomb was unearthed in 1942, and plentiful valuable artifacts were discovered in the tomb though the tomb had been robbed of its treasures before. It is a shame that at the time of my writing, visitors are not allowed to take pictures inside the chambers of the tomb.

The tomb was composed of three chambers – front, middle and rear with a length of 23.4 meters and width of 6.1-6.4 meters. The three chambers were connected by three wooden doors. His coffin was laid on the middle chamber and his life size statue was set in the rear chamber.

Around his coffic chamber, 24 music players holding different folk music instruments are vivid in expressions, which presents the grand palace music in later Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten States.

Among others, the Tomb of Wangjian has the important feature – it is the first imperial tomb built above the ground which has been fairly well kept for over 1000 years.

On March 04, 1961, the Tomb of Wangjian was listed as the state level protection relics.

Virtual Tour of the tomb of Wang Jian (Yongling Mausoleum)

We just show a few photos of the outside of the tomb since it is not allowed to grab the pictures inside the tomb.

Hassle-free Chengdu Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Chengdu and Sichuan guided tours:

Further Readings

Any questions, just drop a line.