The Muling, tomb of the Daoguang Emperor, is the most unusual of the Western Qing tombs. Daoguang was emperor during the First Opium War and presided over the humiliating treaties that followed. In response to the state's financial difficulties, he ordered his tomb stripped of the gilded decoration and coloured glazed tiles that covered every other imperial mausoleum in the Qing necropolis. The Muling is the only imperial tomb in the complex built without these elements.
The result is architecturally striking in an unexpected way. Without the gold and polychrome, the stone and timber work of the structures becomes more visible, and the quality of the carving — particularly on the stone balustrades and decorative elements of the offering halls — becomes the dominant aesthetic experience. The preciousness is redirected from the surface finish to the craftsmanship.
The Daoguang Emperor also had the unusual experience of building and demolishing a tomb before constructing this one: his first mausoleum at the Eastern Qing Tombs was abandoned after water infiltration made it unsuitable. The Muling was his second attempt, and it was eventually completed as he specified.