Zhaoling Mausoleum is the mausoleum of Emperor Tai Zong (LI Shimi),the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty.He came to the throne in 626 A.D.when is was abdicated by Emperor Gao Zu(Li YUan),his father .He was in power for 23years.During his rule,there was a famous period knomn as the "Prosperous Zhenguan Reign."In 636 A.D.,Empress Wende died of an illness.Her will read,"After I died ,bury me in the mountain amd holda simple funeral for me."Emperor Tai Zong chose Mt.Jiuzong,80 kilometers from Xi'an ,as the tomb site and name is "Zhaoling."The construction started soon afterwards.In 649 A.D.,Emperor Tai Zong died of an illness and was buried together with Empress Wende.The tomb was comple.Zaoling Mausoleum stands on thetop of Mt.Jiuzhong ,20 kilometers northeast of Liquam County in Shaanxi Province.It is the most sizable of the 18 imperial tombs of the Tang Dynasty on the Central Shaanxi Plain.These steps were involved in building a tomb im the mountain.First,choose a natural peak in the mountainous area.Next,chisel an opening from the cliff-side,and dig inward to from a straight passage.Finally,build an underground palace at the end of the passage just beneath the
peak.With the passage of over 1,000 years,almost all its ground structures have disappeared,except for the remains of thr Scarlet-bird Gate,the Sacrificial Hall,the Sacrificial Altar,the Gate Leading to the Sacret Way and the Imperial City.Zhaoling Cemetery is 60 kilometers around.With its 167satellites tombs,the cemetery covers an area of 20,000 hectares.Emperor Tai Zong's Mausoleum stands high up in the northernmost section of the cemetery.Just as the Imperial Palace overlooks all other palaces in the city of Chang'an,so this mausoleum looks over all other tombs from the peak.The tomb of Wei Zheng ,Li Jing and Li Ji(Xu Maogong) are worth of note.These three tombs are extraordinary enough to show the contributions of the tomb occupants and their special relations with the imperial court.Among the tombs are those of the generals of the ethnic minority groups on the northwest region.They all held important postitions in the Tang Dynasty.Several of them even hadf relation to the royal family by marriage.
Zhaoling Mausoleum was designed by Yan Lide ,a famous artist of the Tang Dynasty.The design shows a great deal of originality.After Empress Wende was buried in 636 A.D.,Emperor Tai Zong gave orders that six stone horses br carved in bas-relif and placed within the Sacrificial Hall on the slope north of Zhaoling Mausoleum.In fact,the six galloping horse served him during his lifetime,and they had helped him win decisive victories and achieve his desired objectives.The stone horses are different in posture.They all look sturdy vigorous.
The six stone horse reflct the bas-relief features of Buddhist art .They wer carved with excellent skills and in a lively style.These stone carving are of great artistic value.Unfortunately,all of them wer damaged in th 1910s.Two of them wer shipped abroad,and they are now kept in the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania,in Philadelphia,USA.The other four are now on display in the Forest of Stone Tablet Museum.Along with the stone horses,there are stone statues of 14 dukes.These statues were also damaged many years ago.Only their pedestals remain intact. But their images are still unknown,since there are no detailed records about them.
The Tang Dynasty was at the zenith of the Feudal society in China.Emperor Tai Zong was considered the most capable and ableminded of all .
