The pyramids in Egypt have always been regarded as a mystery of ancient human civilization. Another mysterious ancient construction that resembles the refulgence has been found in China. Dubbed the "Pyramids of China", the Western Xia Tombs include nine mausoleums housing the imperial family and 207 tombs belonging to dukes and ministers.
In recent years, scientific research and exploration have been conducted at the site, buried in the wilderness of Helan Mountain in West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region , in hopes of decoding the sudden disappearance of the Western Xia civilization.
Located 30 kilometers west of Yinchuan , capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the Western Xia Tombs cover an area of 40 square kilometers; they are located on the eastern slope of the Helan Mountain range, just south of the Gunzhong Pass.
General features of the site
The tombs were originally created by the founder of the Western Xia Kingdom (AD1038-1237), Li Yuanhao, who built over 70 tombs -- one for himself, some for his relatives and more to be left empty, presumably against theft.
Each main tomb has four corner towers and an array of watchtowers, pavilions housing stone tablets, a sacrificial hall and a coffin platform -- most of which are unrecognizable. Archaeologists believe that octagonal glazed-tile pagodas once stood by each tomb.
In contrast to the wooden and stone structures of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasty imperial tombs, the Western Xia Tombs are made of earth and brick, reflecting the culture of the ancient western kingdom.
History of the mysterious kingdom
Some 770 years ago, in the vast areas of northwest China stood a feudal kingdom called "Western Xia" among the Song (960-1279) and Liao (916-1125) dynasties at the same time. The kingdom lasted for 189 years under 10 successive emperors, contributing significantly to the development of China's western regions.
In the 13th century, when Genghis Khan united Mongolia and the country gradually grew into a formidable power, he began the process of expansion and invasion. And the Western Xia bore the brunt of the mighty Mongolian cavalries. During 22 years, the Mongolians initiated six onslaughts against the Western Xia, of which four were headed by Genghis Khan himself. In 1227, the Mongolian warlord besieged Xingqing, the capital of the Western Xia, for six months. But the invincible Mongolians faced unprecedented resistance and paid a very high price for attempting to conquer the nation. When the city was captured, the Mongolians conducted a vengeful massacre, badly damaging the imperial tombs. Today, visitors can only expect to find piles of relics at the site.
After 189 years, the once powerful and civilized Western Xia Dynasty came to an end and the ethnic Dangxiang people had also disappeared. Only the grand mausoleums under Helan Mountain still display the site's former prosperity.
History books also lack records about the dynasty, shrouding the ancient civilization in even more mystery. But from the abandoned constructions, unearthed relics and fragmented scriptures, we can still trace the marks of the glorious civilization.
Discovery and protection of the site
In June 1972 workers digging up the groundwork for a small airport found a dozen porcelain pots and some bricks at the site. The bricks had rows of characters on them that resembled Chinese characters , although they were not recognizable.
Excavations were completed on one main tomb and four annexes. The main tomb is believed to belong to Li Yuanhao, and all of the tombs have stairways or sloping paths leading to their coffin pits.
In the wake of poor maintenance and heavy erosion, most of the buildings are now fairly damaged, with crumbling brown earth scattered across the plains.
Fortunately, building materials, broken stone tablets, towers, glazed tiles, walls and steles with Western Xia or Han characters still remain, providing visitors with interesting information on the civilization.
Many treasures, art and sculptures were unearthed from Li Yuanhao's mausoleum and put on display at the Western Xia Museum located near the entrance of Li's tomb. Other cultural artifacts and relics related to the ancient Western Xia were also collected from across China and exhibited here.
Thirty years after the first discovery, experts have further researched and explored the tomb. In April 2000, the discovery was listed in the "100 Major Archeological Finds of the 20th Century" due to its extraordinary scientific value and significance to Chinese archeology.
In 1999, the State Council transferred 10 million yuan to clean up, explore and strengthen the site. Currently, another restoration plan has been initiated with an investment of 30 million yuan (US$3.8 million). The reconstruction work is scheduled for completion in two to three years.