Photos of Western Xia Mausoleums National Archaeological Park

The Western Xia Mausoleums are a complex of tombs located in the western suburbs of Yinchuan City at the foot of the Helan Mountains. These are the imperial tombs of the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227) and many emperors are buried here alongside their family members. The entire mausoleum complex holds the graves of nine emperors along with 140 accompanying tombs. The shape of the Western Xia Tombs are shaped differently from those of other imperial Chinese tombs and tomb clusters. Structurally, they resemble a piece of cornmeal "wotou" bread or a sharp-sided domed pyramid. The scenic area also has built a museum dedicated to the Western Xia Dynasty complete with exhibits on art and history of the Western Xia and an array of carved stone steles from that period. The museum hosts an abundance of imperial relics of the Western Xia. Museum docents are delighted to share all they know and will happily assist visitors in understanding more about the rise and fall of the Western Xia and their mysterious, fascinating culture and customs.