Eastern Qing tombs, Imperial mausoleum complex in Zunhua, China

The Eastern Qing Tombs spread over 80 square kilometres around Changrui Mountain in Zunhua. At the centre lies Xiaoling, the tomb of the Shunzhi Emperor, with its stone archway, spirit way and Long'en Hall. The complex holds five imperial tombs, four empress tombs and five concubine tombs, including the red-timbered Ding Dongling of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Construction of Xiaoling, the tomb of the Shunzhi Emperor, began in 1663, and the complex grew as later Qing emperors were buried here. Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng and Tongzhi lie here, while Yongzheng, Jiaqing, Daoguang and Guangxu were buried at the Western Qing tombs. In 1928 Sun Dianying's troops looted the Qianlong and Cixi tombs; further looting followed in the 1940s.

The name Xiaoling, at the centre of the complex, means 'Filial Tomb'. Its spirit way runs from a stone archway past dismounting stelae and a grand palace gate to bridges and guardian sculptures. The offering kitchen compound stood to the left of the palace section, where sacrificial food was cooked and oxen and sheep butchered.

Six tombs are open to visitors: Xiaoling, Jingling, Yuling, Zhaoxiling, the Dingdongling of Cixi and Ci'an, and the Yuling concubine cemetery. The burial chambers of Qianlong, Cixi and two of Qianlong's concubines can be entered; the others are seen from outside. The complex covers 80 square kilometres, so plan transport between the scattered tomb groups.

Xiaoling, Shunzhi's tomb, was the only imperial tomb at the Eastern Qing tombs left untouched by the waves of looting; Sun Dianying's 1928 troops blew open Yuling and Ding Dongling instead. Shunzhi had asked for no lavish burial, and his underground palace holds three cremation urns rather than coffins.