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.
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 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).
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.
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.
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.
Hassle-free Beijing 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 Beijing guided tours:
Beijing Eastern Qing Tombs Day Tour
Huangyaguan Great Wall and Eastern Qing Tombs Day Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Great Wall Tour
China City Tours
China Tour
Further Readings
Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing
Exterior Scene of the Eastern Qing Tombs
Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
Top 10 Tourist Scams Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites
Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping
Wangfujing Night Snack Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Beijing Huguosi Street
Any questions, just drop a line.
My wife and I wish to visit The Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing for a day tour
We would like to walk the Sacred Way and see the Tombs of Cixi and Qianlong.
I understand these are the two tombs that is excavated and opened to the public, right?
What are the other tombs that we can see? Can we see some concubines’ tombs?
Can you recommend a route for us in Qing Tombs
Lastly will you be able to do this trip for us?
Thank you