The Crown of Western Han Imperial Mausoleums | Maoling

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, ascended the throne at the age of 16 and reigned for 54 years, ushering in the "Prosperous Era of Emperor Wu of Han," which had a profound impact on Chinese history. The construction of Maoling took 53 years, with tens of thousands of craftsmen and laborers conscripted, and one-third of the national taxes each year were used for the construction of the mausoleum, making it the largest imperial mausoleum of the Han Dynasty. According to historical records, the number of burial objects was so numerous that it was almost impossible to accommodate them. There are more than 20 accompanying tombs in the mausoleum area, including the tombs of the god of war Huo Qubing, General Wei Qing, and Emperor Wu of Han's favorite concubine, Lady Li. Huo Qubing died young at the age of 24 and was buried on the east side of Maoling. His tomb mound is shaped like the Qilian Mountains to commemorate his great military achievements in the Hexi Corridor and the northern desert. Langjuxu Mountain is now the Kent Mountains in Mongolia. I checked the location and was surprised to find that it was so far away. The Maoling Museum is located in the Huo Qubing Cemetery and is laid out in a garden style. It houses more than 4,000 cultural relics and displays large Western Han stone carvings, among which the precious cultural relics such as the "Horse Treading on a Xiongnu," the gilded bronze horse, and the gilded bamboo incense burner are of great ornamental value.