Sanyuanxing｜Xianling, the first of the 18 Tang emperors’ tombs in Guanzhong, Shaanxi.

[Scenic] Xianling, the first of the 18 Tang Dynasty imperial tombs in Guanzhong, Shaanxi, is located in Sanyuan County, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province. It is the tomb of Li Yuan (566-635 AD), the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. 🌟Highlights: In the Tang Dynasty, Xumuyuan on the Weibei Plateau was called Wanshouyuan. Xianling Mausoleum is located here. It faces south and its burial mound is a well-preserved rectangular funnel-shaped rammed earth. It is covered with lush pine and cypress trees. The scale of Xianling is "twenty miles within the enclosure", and the mausoleum area consists of the cemetery, the lower palace and the burial area. The scale of the Xianling Mausoleum, the tone of the stone rituals on the sacred way, and the system and form of setting up the accompanying tombs laid the foundation for the construction style of the mausoleums of the Tang emperors thereafter. Xianling is the first and smallest imperial mausoleum in the Tang Dynasty. It is a representative example of the Tang Dynasty emperors’ tombs built by piling up earth. ✅Must experience: There are four gates and 12 sacred stone carvings in Xianling Mausoleum. Most of them are damaged and in the villagers' fields. It is the season when the corn on the plain grows and matures. It is actually not easy to see these cultural relics. On the east side of Xianling Mausoleum, we met a group of elderly people who were volunteering to guard the mausoleum. After politely asking them, the elderly people pointed out the specific location of the stone tiger at the south gate to us from a distance. We were able to quickly discover it and take pictures. 👍Most recommended: There is a stone tiger at the south gate, located in the villagers' persimmon garden. The stone tiger has a majestic, resolute and high-spirited body, with alert eyes. Its ears and tail are damaged, but it is the most complete one in the cemetery. Cultural heritage electronic monitoring facilities have been installed near the stone tiger. There are also large-scale stone stele, stone rhinoceros and other stone carvings in Xianling, but unfortunately they have not been found. The Xianling stone carvings are representative and exquisite examples of Tang Dynasty tomb stone carving art. ❤Recommendation reason: There is a stone stele erected during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. Although the stele surface is badly damaged, the words "Tomb of Emperor Gaozu of Tang" can still be clearly seen. On June 25, 2001, the Tang Dynasty imperial tombs, including the Xianling Mausoleum, were announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection sites. On April 24, 2019, the Tang Dynasty imperial tombs, including the Xianling Mausoleum, were included in the "China World Cultural Heritage Tentative List" by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. [!][!][!]Cultural relics protection is everyone’s responsibility. 📍Detailed address: West of Yonghe Village, Dacheng Town (formerly Xumu Township), Sanyuan County, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province 🚉Traffic strategy: Drive out of Sanyuan County and follow Guanzhong Ring Road and Liulao Road to the west of Yonghe Village, Tang Gaozu Xianling 🕙Opening hours: All day throughout the year‌ 💰Ticket price: Free