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Explore the region
About Zhaoling
The emperor’s mountain tomb and numerous attendant burials are spread over a large area, so the museum at Li Ji’s tomb is a useful first stop. Its steles and epitaphs put names, calligraphy and careers to the surrounding tombs. The Wen Yanbo stele, written by Ouyang Xun, and other Tang inscriptions make the museum a focused visit in its own right, without promising entry into the emperor’s chamber.
Zhaoling is the largest mausoleum of the Tang dynasty and the tomb of Emperor Taizong of Tang (599-649), located at Jiuzong Mountain. Besides the emperor's own tomb, the site contains about 200 further tombs belonging to royals and high-ranking officials, and its paintings include many depictions of Tang dynasty imperial guards and officers, shown as elite soldiery. Among its stone reliefs are the Six Steeds of Zhao Mausoleum, of which four panels are exhibited at the Stele Forest Museum of Xi'an and two at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in the United States; they were most likely designed by the court painter Yan Liben, who made other works for the mausoleum and may have designed it.
What to look for
- The museum’s Tang steles and epitaphs, including the Wen Yanbo stele associated with Ouyang Xun’s calligraphy.
- Li Ji’s tomb setting and the wider Jiuzong Mountain burial landscape.
Location & getting there
Getting to Zhaoling
Start at Zhaoling Museum in Yanxia Town, Liquan County, which occupies the grounds of Li Ji’s attendant tomb.
- The emperor’s mountain mausoleum is a separate destination; arrange that onward road journey only if the relevant area is open.
Combine your visit
Suggested order within this visit:
-
Zhaoling Museum introduction
Locate the emperor’s tomb and the attendant burials.
-
Tang inscription galleries
Compare calligraphy, epitaphs and commemorative texts.
-
Li Ji tomb setting
Connect the collection with the burial site around the museum.
This sequence is an editorial suggestion based on the features described in the sources. Access to individual buildings or areas should be checked locally; no travel time or shared admission is implied.
Find Zhaoling
昭陵 · 咸阳
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
Qianling Mausoleum 乾陵
25 km awayQianling uses the natural mass of Mount Liang as the burial setting for Tang emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian. Its main underground tomb remains sealed, while the above-ground approach preserves an exceptional sequence of stone…
View guide →Xi'an Xianyang Airport 西安咸阳国际机场
33 km awayXi’an Xianyang International Airport has an expanded terminal layout following the opening of Terminal 5 in February 2025. Terminals 2, 3 and 5 serve different flights, making the terminal on the current booking the first detail…
View guide →Maoling 茂陵
34 km awayMaoling is the massive rammed-earth burial mound of Han emperor Wu, set among the tombs of people from his court near Xingping. Its broad, sloping form is the main landscape feature; the emperor’s chamber is not an underground…
View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1362390005.
Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "Zhao Mausoleum (Tang dynasty)", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1362390005.