Yongcheng, Shangqiu
Mangdang Mountain — Han princely tombs
- From Zhengzhou
- About 2 hours by high-speed rail plus a transfer
- Allow
- One day
- Best season
- April–October
From the official website
In the scenic area's own words
Transcribed from the operator's official site, with the date we read it. Independent of the guide above, which is our own writing.
A national 5A scenic area of 14 km² combining mountain scenery, cultural interpretation and ecological leisure. The Lianyungang–Huozhou and Dezhou–Shangrao expressways pass through it, and Yongcheng North station on the Zhengzhou–Xuzhou high-speed line is ten minutes away. It holds the largest underground group of Western Han princely tombs in the world, along with the site where Liu Bang is said to have slain the serpent, the geological park, the tomb of Chen Sheng and the mountain where Confucius sheltered from rain. The 14 km² is made up of several rocky hills barely a hundred metres high, beneath which lie more than twenty tombs of a single family.
- Designation
- National 5A scenic area
- Area
- 14 km²
- Tomb-building span
- Eight generations, nine kings, about 150 years
- National protected site
- Designated by the State Council in 1996
- Consort's tomb length
- 210.5 m east to west
- Consort's tomb area / volume
- 1,600 m² / 6,500 m³
What to see
Tomb of the consort of King Xiao of Liang
Described by the operator as the finest stone-chamber tomb in China. Volume exceeds 6,500 m³; discovered in 1991, it runs 210.5 m east to west and 72.6 m at its widest, with 1,600 m² of floor area — the largest rock-cut tomb yet found in China, cut more than 2,100 years ago. Inside are three corridors, east and west main chambers and 34 storerooms including carriage rooms, a coffin platform, an ice store, a bathroom and a latrine, with a perimeter gallery and drainage. The operator notes what it calls China's earliest icebox and seated toilet.
Tomb of King Gong of Liang — the Four Spirits mural
The tomb of King Gong of Liang holds the painted "Four Spirits and Cloud" mural, which the operator describes as of exceptionally high historical, artistic and research value.
Almost 3,000 blocking stones and their inscriptions
To deter robbers the whole tomb was sealed with almost 3,000 stone blocks. The blocks carry position numbers, dimensions, craftsmen's names, chamber orientations and construction sequence — valuable evidence for Han calligraphy, script, calendrics and metrology.
Ritual and printing experiences
The operator runs a "Nine Chinese Rites" experience combining performance, education and participation, plus hands-on printing and papermaking activities.
Photographs
These photographs are openly licensed for commercial use (from Wikimedia Commons: CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA or public domain) and are not the attraction's own gallery. Each photo is credited below with its author and licence, linked to the original file.
The memorial archway of the Han Liang royal tombs
The gate towers at the Liang royal tombs
Stone guardian animals along the spirit way
The stone stairway to the tombs
The excavated tomb of Prince Gong of Liang
The passage into the tomb of Prince Gong of Liang
The statue of Liu Bang on Mount Mangdang
The site of Liu Bang's snake-slaying
Mount Fuzi seen from the top of Mount Mangdang
At Yongcheng in Shangqiu prefecture, centred on the Western Han tombs of the Liang kings. The chambers were cut into the living rock, and among excavated Han princely tombs these are among the most substantial; the tomb of the consort of King Xiao of Liang is noted for the volume of stone removed. Far less crowded than Shaolin or Longmen, which suits a visitor who has already done the headline sites.
What to see
- The consort's tomb: a large multi-chambered excavation inside the hill, with intact corridors and side chambers, open to visitors.
- The tomb of King Xiao of Liang, part of the same group on a connected route.
- Han relief carvings and wall paintings, including processions, which are the physical evidence for Han burial practice.
- The tomb of Chen Sheng and Fuzi Hill, other sites within the same area.
Practical notes
The chambers are markedly cooler and damper than outside — welcome in summer, cold in winter, so bring a layer. There are many steps and slopes; assess honestly if you have limited mobility. Yongcheng is a long way from Zhengzhou, so give it a full day or combine it with Shangqiu.