乾陵博物院英文导游词

The Qianling Mausoleum

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Qianling Mausoleum. Today l will introduce you to the unique mausoleum. Because it is the only mausoleum in China in which is buried two emperors, and there is the only female emperor in Chinese history.

The Qianling Mausoleum lies in the Liangshan Hill about 80 kilometers northwest of the city of Xi’an. It belongs to the 3rd emperor of Tang dynasty, Li Zhi, who was later known as Gao Zong, and his empress, Wu Zetian.

Now let’s look at the three hills. What do you think is they like? Yes. The folk call the two peaks “Nipple Hills”.

Ok this way please. We are going thought the holy way. On both of the holy way in front of the tomb, 124 exquisite and lively stone statues are lined up-a pair of cloud pillars, a pair of flying horses, and ten pairs of guarding. They were built to protect the emperor’s tomb.

Outside the south gate there are two tablets: The tablet to Holy Deeds of Emperor Gao Zong and The Wordless Tablet to Wu Zetian. I suppose you a re interesting the female emperor. Wu Zetian ‘s name was Zhao. She was chosen as Cai Ren by the second emperor of the Tang dynasty, Tai Zong, at the age of 14. She was sent to a temple to be a nun when Emperor Tai Zong died. She was then only 26. Three years later the third emperor of the Tang dynasty, Gao Zong, called her to come back to the Palace as his concubine. Wu Zetian was a very intelligent woman and became so powerful that she helped Emperor Gao Zong govern the court. When she was almost 60 years old, her husband, Emperor Gao Zong, died. She became the Emperor at the age of 66. She changed the Tang dynasty into the Zhou dynasty and so became the only female emperor in Chinese history. This dragon lady died at the age 82 and was buried in Qianling Mausoleum with her husband.

Now we have arrived at the behind of the Wordless Tablet. It is 6.3 meters high. Why was a wordless tablet set up for Emperor Wu Zetian? Some say that she was the first female emperor and her accomplishment was immeasurable and beyond words. Others say that she wanted the people of later generations to give her a just and fair appraisal. Still some others think that it was probably set up by Emperor Zhong Zong, who was

dissatisfied with her arbitrary decisions and peremptory actions and unwilling to flatter her. But as her son, it was inappropriate for him to reproach her. So he set urap the wordless tablet to let people of later generations appraise her. Anyway, such a tablet has not been found before any other imperial mausoleums in our country.

Let’s look at the other tablet- The tablet to Holy Deeds of Emperor Gao Zong. It consists of seven joints, so it is called the Seven-joint Tablet. The ancient Chinese believed that the universe was composed of seven elements-the sun, the moon, metal, wood water, fire and earth. The inscription on the tablet was composed by Wu Zetian and written by Emperor Zhong Zong. It contains over 8,000 characters, singing the praises of Emperor Gao Zong’s political achievements and military exploits. As we know, the Seven-joint Tablet was the first one of all tablets in emperor’s mausoleums.

Beyond the two tablets there are 61 stone statues standing in two groups. In order to commemorate the heads of the Chinese ethnic minorities and the envoys from foreign countries that attended Emperor Gao Zong’s funeral. Unfortunately all but two of the characters are already undecipherable.

Besides there are three famous satellite tombs of Qianling Mausoleum-the tomb of Princess Yong Tai, the tomb of Crown Prince Zhang Huai and the tomb of Crown Prince Yi De. A lot of murals were discovered. They can be regarded as masterpieces of painting from Tang dynasty.

Ladies and gentlemen: I hope you have enjoyed my introduction to The Qianling Mausoleum. Have a pleasant trip! See you!