The Zhao Mausoleum () is a

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

where the

Longqing Emperor The Longqing Emperor (4March 15375July 1572), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Muzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Zaiji, art name Shunzhai, was the 13th emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1567 to 1572. He was initially known ...

was buried. The mausoleum is one of the thirteen imperial tombs at

Ming tombs The Ming tombs are a collection of mausoleums built by the emperors of the Ming dynasty of China. The first Ming emperor's tomb is located near his capital Nanjing. However, the majority of the Ming tombs are located in a cluster near Beijing ...

Changping District Changping District (), formerly Changping County (), is a district situated in the suburbs of north and northwest Beijing. Changping has a population of 2,269,487 as of November 2020, making it the most populous suburban district of Beijing. Hist ...

45 km north of central

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

. The Longqing Emperor was the 13th emperor of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

(1368–1644), reigning from 1566 until his death in 1572. He was buried in the Zhao Mausoleum, one of the thirteen imperial tombs in the

complex. His first wife, Empress Li, who died in 1558, was also interred at the mausoleum. Later, the emperor's two other wives, Empress Xiao'an and Empress Xiaoding, were also laid to rest there. The Zhao Mausoleum is the only tomb in the Ming tombs complex that has undergone a significant renovation, which took place in 1980. It was opened to the public in 1990 and is one of only three tombs in the complex that are accessible to tourists, along with the Chang and Ding Mausoleums. The

was originally built as a tomb for the

Jiajing Emperor The Jiajing Emperor (16September 150723January 1567), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizong of Ming, personal name Zhu Houcong, art name, art names Yaozhai, Leixuan, and Tianchi Diaosou, was the 12th List of emperors of the Ming ...

's parents, but for various reasons, the

Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shenzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Yijun, art name Yuzhai, was the 14th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty, reig ...

chose to bury his father, the Longqing Emperor, there instead. The construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1573, and it follows a similar architectural style to other Ming tombs. The complex is centered around a continuous geometric axis starting with a stele in a pavilion, leading to the Ling'en Gate and the Ling'en Hall (), which was used for paying respects to the Longqing Emperor by successive emperors. The Minglou Tower is the next building, enclosed by a square castle. This castle then connects to the Precious Castle (), a circular wall that encloses the burial mound. The mound itself is an artificial circular structure made of packed earth, beneath which lies the underground palace where the deceased are laid to rest. Similar to the

Eastern Qing tombs The Eastern Qing tombs (; ) are an imperial mausoleum complex of the Qing dynasty located in Zunhua, northeast of Beijing. They are the largest, most complete, and best preserved extant mausoleum complex in China. Altogether, five emperors ( Sh ...

and Western Qing tombs, the Ming tombs also feature a courtyard with a sacred kitchen and storeroom located near the entrance to the tomb. However, the Zhao Mausoleum is the only Ming tomb where these buildings have been preserved. The entire complex covers an area of 34,000 square meters. The name Zhaoling has been used for other Chinese imperial tombs as well. The

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

Emperor Taizong (died 649) is buried in Zhaoling, located northwest of

Xi'an Xi'an is the list of capitals in China, capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populou ...

, while the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

emperor

Hong Taiji Hong Taiji (28 November 1592 – 21 September 1643), also rendered as Huang Taiji and sometimes referred to as Abahai in Western literature, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizong of Qing, was the second khan of the Later Jin ...

(died 1643) is buried in Zhaoling in

Shenyang Shenyang,; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly known as Fengtian formerly known by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a sub-provincial city in China and the list of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Liaonin ...

Liaoning ) , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = Clockwise: Mukden Palace in Shenyang, Xinghai Square in Dalian, Dalian coast, Yalu River at Dandong , image_map = Liaoning in China (+all claims hatched).svg , ...

Gallery

File:Mingzhaoling.jpg, Side-view of the mausoleum (Bird's-eye view from Zhaoling Village) 66502-Ming-Tombs (28714489735).jpg, Shengong Shengde Stele Pavilion 66550-Ming-Tombs (28636499351).jpg, Ling'en Gate 66530-Ming-Tombs (28430040560).jpg, Ling'en Hall File:明昭陵棂星门.JPG, Lingxing Gate File:明昭陵明楼.JPG, Minglou Tower File:明昭陵宝城琉璃影壁.JPG, Precious Castle's Glazed Shadow Wall ()

References

{{Reflist Ming dynasty architecture Burial sites of the Ming dynasty Mausoleums in China Archaeological sites in China