[2025 Linfen Attraction] Travel Guide for Mausoleum of Emperor Yao, China (Updated May)

Where is it❓️ Located in Dayang Town, Yaodu District, Linfen, Shanxi. It's about a one-hour drive from the city center, and the roads are easy to navigate. This is the Mausoleum of Emperor Yao of China. What is this place for❓️ This is the tomb of Emperor Yao, one of the legendary "Five Emperors" of ancient China. According to legend, he abdicated in favor of Emperor Shun and taught people how to farm and observe the seasons, making him one of the forefathers of Chinese civilization. The mausoleum was first built during the Han Dynasty, and what you see today is mainly from the Ming and Qing dynasties' renovations. What can you see there❓️ 1️⃣ Key highlights in the mausoleum area: - Sacred Path and Archway: A stone-paved path at the entrance flanked by stone sculptures, leading to an archway inscribed with "Ancient Emperor Yao Mausoleum." - Main Hall and Burial Mound: The main hall is used for worship and features traditional architecture. Emperor Yao's burial mound resembles a large earthen hill, standing 50 meters tall and surrounded by ancient trees, creating a solemn atmosphere. 2️⃣ Interesting smaller attractions: - Yao Well: An ancient well said to have been dug by Emperor Yao and his people, providing water for the locals. - Stone Stele Gallery: A collection of inscriptions and tributes to Emperor Yao from various emperors and scholars. (The authentic calligraphy of Kangxi and Qianlong can be found in the Yao Temple in the city center.) - Sacrificial Ceremony: On Emperor Yao's birthday, the 28th day of the fourth lunar month, the site hosts traditional sacrificial rituals with participants dressed in ancient costumes, performing dances and reciting ceremonial texts. 3️⃣ Museum: The exhibition hall displays ancient pottery, farming tools, and other artifacts, offering a glimpse into the lives, farming practices, and inventions of Emperor Yao's era. ✔️ Practical Information: 🎫 Tickets can be booked online in advance for 40 RMB per person. 🚘 It's recommended to drive or take a taxi. Public transportation is available but takes longer. ⚠️ History and culture enthusiasts can take their time exploring, which takes about half a day. For a quick visit, 2 hours is sufficient. The site isn't very large but is rich in stories, making it a great place to visit with elderly family members or children while sharing tales of ancient ancestors. (If you're not interested in ancient history, you might find it a bit monotonous, so it's not recommended in that case!)

| Ancestor worship. The mausoleum of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors is the first, and the grace of a hundred generations and a thousand autumns flows long." There are several places recorded in historical documents as Yao's Tomb, but it is generally believed to be in Linfen, Shanxi, and sacrifices have been held here throughout the ages. The Yao Emperor Mausoleum is surrounded by cliffs, with a river flowing south in front of the mausoleum, and lush pines and cypresses. The mausoleum is 50 meters high and 80 meters around. A temple was built in front of the mausoleum, said to have been built in the early Tang Dynasty. According to the inscription of the second year of the Jin Taihe era (1202 AD), Emperor Taizong of Tang once stationed here during his expedition to Liao, and because he visited the Yao Mausoleum, he had his statue made. It is said that when Emperor Yao died, the people mourned, and on the day of the funeral, people from all directions brought a handful of soil to the mausoleum, which accumulated into a mountain, becoming the tallest mausoleum among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Address: North bank of the Laoye River, west of Beijiao Village, Dayang Town, 35 km northeast of Yaodu District, Linfen City, Shanxi Province.

If you want to know the history of China for a hundred years, look to Shanghai; for a thousand years, look to Beijing; for three thousand years, look to Shaanxi; and for five thousand years, look to Shanxi bamboo. Five thousand years ago, the three ancient emperors Yao, Shun and Yu were all born in Shanxi, where there are Yao Temple and Dayu culture. Although the Yao Mausoleum and the Temple are not large in scale, they are rigorously laid out. Entering from the mountain gate on the bank of Hong River, the mausoleum and ancestral temple face the high cliffs on the river bank. The gate has two floors, the upper one is the music tower, which is used for performing music. After entering the gate, there is a wide square with a wooden archway in the middle of the square. Beyond the archway is the main hall for sacrifices, with a supporting building on each side. On both sides of the mausoleum and nearby there are more than ten steles from the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, recording the achievements of Emperor Yao and the evolution of the mausoleum and shrine. The first section of the trip: Yaomiao to Houma / Yaomiao to Yicheng (half an hour), fare 1D yuan (the earliest bus departs at around 6:20) The second section of the bus: to Yicheng (half an hour) fare: RMB Return direction: Quwo to Yaodu District (one hour) Fare (last bus around 6 o'clock)