Chongling (Guangxu Emperor's Tomb)

The Chongling is the tomb of the Guangxu Emperor, whose death in 1908 — almost certainly by deliberate poisoning — preceded that of Empress Dowager Cixi by a single day. The emperor had spent a decade under house arrest at the Summer Palace following the failed Hundred Days' Reform movement of 1898, during which he had attempted to modernise the Qing state and was outmanoeuvred by Cixi. His tomb was only completed in 1915, seven years after his death, using funds provided by the early Republic of China — a government that had formed specifically in opposition to everything the tomb was meant to represent.

Walking through Chongling with this history in mind gives it a particular quality that distinguishes it from the other tombs in the complex. The structure is complete and well maintained, but it was built for a dynasty that had already fallen by the time the last stones were laid. The underground burial chambers are open to visitors and contain the remains of the emperor and his consort.

The tomb is at the northern end of the complex, furthest from the entrance, and worth walking to even if you have seen the more elaborate Tailing.

things to do sight
A story
Forensic analysis of the Guangxu Emperor's hair in 2008 found arsenic levels 4,000 times higher than normal — consistent with a fatal dose administered over a short period. He died on 14 November 1908, the day before Empress Dowager Cixi, who is the most likely suspect. His tomb was completed in 1915 by the early Republic, using funds scraped together after the dynasty it was meant to glorify had already ceased to exist.