Visiting the Eastern Qing Tombs: Dong Dingling - The Tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi

⛰️Dong Dingling houses the tombs of Empress Xiaozhen Xian (Ci'an) and Empress Xiaoqin Xian (Cixi), consorts of Emperor Xianfeng (Qing Wenzong). Ci'an's tomb is called "Puxiangyu Dong Dingling," while Cixi's tomb is called "Putuoyu Dong Dingling." Both tombs are located east of Emperor Xianfeng's Dingling Tomb and are subsidiary tombs, hence the name Dong Dingling (Eastern Dingling). During the Qing Dynasty, only Emperor Xianfeng's reign had two empress tombs, making this unique. These two Dong Dingling tombs are the highest-ranking empress tombs of the Qing Dynasty. Ci'an and Cixi's tombs were built with identical architectural specifications and are more elaborate than other empress tombs, featuring additional memorial archways and dismounting tablets. Empress Dowager Cixi, who held supreme power for 48 years, lived an extremely extravagant life. She spared no expense in creating her final resting place, intending to showcase her unrivaled authority and status to future generations 😎 🔺Highlights of Dong Dingling: Famous for its "three wonders" in wood, gold, and stone. ✅Stone Wonder: The throne steps in front of Longen Hall feature the famous "dragon below, phoenix above" stone. The 69 white marble railings around Longen Hall are carved with "phoenix leading, dragon chasing" patterns. The 76 pillars break from the traditional one-dragon-one-phoenix format, showing "one phoenix above two dragons," symbolizing Cixi's two periods as regent. ✅Wood Wonder: All three halls are constructed with Hainan Huanghuali rosewood, making them truly "precious rosewood halls." This type of wood construction is unique to Cixi's tomb. ✅Gold Wonder: The decorative paintings in the three main halls break from tradition, featuring the highest-ranking golden dragon and imperial seal patterns. The beams and ceiling paintings are done directly on the natural rosewood surface using the finest "treasury gold leaf" without traditional ground layer or paint. This unique style is exclusive to Cixi's tomb in all Qing imperial tombs. The "golden dragons coiling around jade pillars" in the three halls are vivid and radiant. While the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City has 6 pillars with coiling dragons in gold leaf, Cixi's tomb features gilt copper dragons on all 64 pillars. The original gilt copper dragons are gone, replaced by modern replicas. Each ceiling panel in the main halls originally featured golden dragons - of the 575 gold-leafed carved dragon ceiling panels, only 5.5 remain, either overlooked by tomb raiders or preserved for other reasons. 🔸Despite her life of supreme luxury, the "Old Buddha" never got to enjoy her lavishly built tomb. The tomb was not only completely looted but also underwent three different periods of coffin placement. 📌Tips: ◆Cixi's Dong Dingling is one of two tombs in the Eastern Qing Tombs where visitors can enter the underground palace. While Ci'an and Cixi's tombs are built side by side, separated only by a horse trough ditch, and both are beautifully constructed, Ci'an's tomb is not open to the public. ◆There's a Tomb Keeper's Museum with a 30 yuan entrance fee where you can watch actual footage of Cixi's coffin being opened.