Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location	People's Republic of China
Criteria	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
Reference	1004ter
Inscription	2000 (24th Session)
Extensions	2003, 2004

Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (simplified Chinese: 明清皇家陵寝; traditional Chinese: 明清皇家陵寢; pinyin: Míng Qīng Huángjiā Língqǐn) is the designation under which the UNESCO has included several tombs and burial complexes into the list of World Heritage Sites (WHS). These tombs date from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China.

Tombs were included in the list in 2000, 2003 and 2004. Three Imperial tombs in Liaoning Province, all built in the 17th century, were added in 2004: the Yongling tomb, the Fuling tomb and the Zhaoling tomb were constructed for the founding emperors of the Qing dynasty and their ancestors. These tombs feature rich decoration of stone statues and carvings and tiles with dragon motifs, illustrating the development of the funerary architecture of the Qing dynasty. The three tomb complexes, and their numerous edifices, combine traditions inherited from previous dynasties and new features of Manchu culture.

Properties included in the World Heritage Site

WHS No. 1004ter includes the following tombs or tomb groups:

Serial ID No.	Tomb	Province	Location	Coordinates	Area (m²)	Buffer (m²)	Year inscribed
1004-001	Xianling Tomb	Hubei	Zhongxiang	31°01′N 112°39′E	876,000	2,264,000	2000
1004-002	Eastern Qing Tombs	Hebei	Zunhua	41°11′N 117°38′E	2,240,000	78,000,000	2000
1004-003	Western Qing Tombs	Hebei	Yi County	39°20′N 115°13′E	18,420,000	47,580,000	2000
1004-004	Ming Tombs	Beijing	Changping District	40°16′10″N 116°14′40″E	8,230,000	81,000,000	2003
1004-005	Xiaoling Tomb	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°03′37″N 118°50′04″E	1,160,000	1,800,000	2003
1004-006	Tomb of Chang Yuchun	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°03′44″N 118°49′54″E	9,800		2003
1004-007	Tomb of Qiu Cheng	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°03′51″N 118°49′59″E	5,500		2003
1004-008	Tomb of Wu Liang	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°04′00″N 118°49′51″E	4,000	1,800,000	2003
1004-009	Tomb of Wu Zhen	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°04′05″N 118°49′57″E	3,500		2003
1004-010	Tomb of Xu Da	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°04′30″N 118°50′06″E	8,500		2003
1004-011	Tomb of Li Wenzhong	Jiangsu	Nanjing	32°04′47″N 118°50′23″E	8,700		2003
1004-012	Yongling Tomb of the Qing dynasty	Liaoning	Fushun	41°42′36.4″N 124°48′08.8″E	2,365,900	13,439,400	2004
1004-013	Fuling Tomb of the Qing dynasty	Liaoning	Shenyang	41°49′48.0″N 123°35′26.0″E	538,600	7,023,600	2004
1004-014	Zhaoling Tomb of the Qing dynasty	Liaoning	Shenyang	41°51′09.1″N 123°25′39.0″E	478,900	3,187,400	2004
Total					34,379,400	234,294,400

Other Imperial tombs

The UNESCO World Heritage Site does not include the mausoleum complexes which the Hongwu Emperor (Ming dynasty) had built for his ancestors:

• Ming Ancestors Mausoleum (Zuling) in Xuyi County, Jiangsu
• Huangling Mausoleum in Fengyang, Anhui

External links

• Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties on the World Heritage Sites website
• Advisory Body Evaluation (for the Liaoning Tombs, January 22, 2003)
• Original Decision Document (October 29, 2004 - see p. 38, 39)
• Locational Information: Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (for the sites listed in 2000 and 2003)