Confucianism in Chinese Mausoleum
By admin on 2015-01-16

The mausoleum specifically refers to a type of structure for burying emperors, with the top of the tomb smeared with mud. Such tombs began appearing in an embryonic state during the Yin and Shang dynasties (between the 21st and 11th centuries BC), before fully emerging during the Warring States period (475-221 BC). From then on, through the Qin, Han, Tang, Song and on to the Ming and Qing dynasties, great attention was always paid to them. Born in the prehistoric period and worshipped by primitive ancestors, they achieved refinement through the Confucianists and continued for more than 2,000 years. In terms of structures, mausoleums are the most important along with "temples" for worshipping ancestors and sages.

The Confucianists placed special emphasis on filial piety in providing a stable foundation for maintaining the patriarchal social order with blood lineage as the bond. They argued that, as long as people personally practiced filial piety, they would not defy their Superiors and start a rebellion. Filial piety applied not only during the lifetime of the family elders but also after their death. The dead were treated exactly the same as the living, through sacrifices, worship and reporting everything that happened, even simple things like going out from or returning to the home. Such activities were directed to the ancestors' memorial tablets. After their death, the tomb is their residence in another world, called "yin (negative) residence" to which full, and even more attention, should be paid than when the person occupied the "yang (positive) residence". This was even more true in the case of imperial mausoleums.

According to the concept of the ancients, the terrain and topography, direction and safety selected for the site of the yin residence had long-term influence on the destiny of future generations. This is part of what is known as "geomancy" in China. This emerged very early, and in the Wei, Jin and on to the Tang Dynasty and even after that, geomancy increasingly emphasized careful selection of the burial site and geomantic works were mostly named "burial scriptures". Attention was paid to examining the topographic features of mountains and rivers, and to the arrangement of direction and position- Geomancy not only applies to tombs, although this is its greatest role, but also influences various other structures in real life. Although there are some unscientific and even anti-scientific factors in geomancy, its attention to the selection of terrain and its site-selection principles often conform to scientific and artistic laws. From the numerous tombs set up in light of site selection in accordance with geomantic principles, it is not hard to see its positive role.

In ancient hierarchical society, there were, of course, insurmountable differences in rank regarding tomb size. The Book of Rites says: To follow the jaw of rites, one should, in various aspects, observe the stipulations of quantity. For instance, in the size and quantity of palatial halls, houses or utensils, the thickness of the coffin, and the size of the grave, rank should be clearly defined. The more respectable the person, the bigger the tomb and the more graves were set up for them. The most important thing expressing one's rank was the size of the grave, and size has always been a vitally important factor in architectural art.

The major difference between architectural art and other arts in terms of the method of appeal is that the former has unmatched tremendous size in structure. From the high mountains and large rivers, tall trees and huge rocks of nature, ancients experienced the loftiness contained in exceptional size. And from the thunder and lightning, the raging tide and the roaring fire they felt the fear contained in the superhuman strength. When these experiences were transplanted into construction, hugeness was transformed into dignity and importance. Therefore, the grave of the monarch was particularly high and large, and was called either a "mausoleum" or "imperial tomb". The original meaning of "mausoleum" was a high and big mountain. The graves for other persons, being smaller, were called "graves", "tablets" or "tombs" and referred merely to an earth mound.

From the Qin and Han until the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperors' tombs were always covered with a huge mound.

Great achievements were made in the combination of natural environment during the Tang Dynasty, and the vast scene was given strong memorial character. There was a distinguishing feature in the Tang dynasty mausoleum, in that the entire mausoleum district was modeled on the capital city. The design of the mausoleum, like the capital city, was permeated with ritual logic, so as to give prominence to the dignity of the imperial authority.

The Ming and Qing dynasties paid still higher attention to, and recorded still greater achievements, in the application of geomancy. Their shape and structure were somewhat different from those witnessed in the Han, Tang and Song dynasties, the Ming Tombs and the East and West Mausoleums of the Qing Dynasty being famous examples.

The Qinshihuang Mausoleum in Lintong, Shanxi, is the largest mausoleum of the Qin and Han dynasties. The earth mound is square, each side measuring about 350 meters, and resembling the Egyptian pyramids in the form of a three-layer square pyramid platform ail piled up manually. The existing remnant is still 43 meters high. The top is vast, flat and smooth, and royal halls were possibly once built on it. There are two layers of mausoleum walls around it, with doors opening on all four sides. The north door is possibly taken as the front gate. The southern part of the mausoleum rests on Lishan Mountain and its north faces the Weihe River The terrain is high in the south and low in the north, with the north door taken as the front gate, so that the Lishan Mountain becomes the natural background of the mausoleum.

The Tang Dynasty witnessed the second climax in the construction of mausoleums in China, following Qin and Han dynasties. There are 18 mausoleums on the northern bank of the Weishui River inShanxi Province.

Tang Dynasty imperial mausoleums are mostly built at the foot of mountains. Tombs were set up in the rocks on naturally isolated mountains, and their great momentum Surpassed manually earth-sealed graves. Take Qianling, where Emperor Gaozong is buried' together with Wuzetian, for example. Qianling is about 70 meters above the path leading to tombs before the mausoleum, and so is much more magnificent than Qin and Han dynasty grave mounds which generally are only 20-30 meters above the path. The various tombs take Beishan Mountain as the background, with their south face pointing across the vast central Shanxi plain. These tombs, and the distant Zhongnan and Taibai mountains, face one another. The Weishui River lies horizontally before them, and the Jingshui River meanders between them. In the vicinity are shallow ditches and deep gullies. Looking ahead, one finds a stretch of flat land, which serves as a foil to the height and prominence of the main peak of the mausoleum mountain.

Tang Dynasty tombs inherited and even developed the tradition of Han Dynasty tombs, with doors on four sides, forming a magnificent picture of the superficial characteristics of an imperial residence. Square walls were built around the mausoleum hills, called the inner city. In the middle of the four sides are doors, with an arched gateway. In the four corners are watchtowers. Within the Zhuque (rose finch) Gate, which is the south gate, is a worship hall where grand worship ceremonies were held. Outside the Zhuque Gate is a 3-4 km-long path leading to the tombs, At the southernmost end is a pair of earthen watchtowers, behind which is a door, from which one goes northward to reach the second pair of earthen water towers and the second door, several hundred meters from the Zhuque Door. From there, one goes further to the third pair of earthen water towers in front of the Zhuque Door. In the vast area between the first and second layer of doors are scattered numerous Subordinated tombs. The greatest number of these, 167, are in the Zhaoling Mausoleum of Emperor Taizong.

Zhaoling Mausoleum and Zhenling Mausoleum of Emperor Xuanzong have a circumference of 60 km. The scope of the entire mausoleum area is very great, Surpassing the walled city of Chang'an. Second comes the Qianling Mausoleum, with a circumference of 40 km, equivalent to Chang'an. And then come various tombs with circumferences ranging from 10-30 km. Among the various tombs, the Qianling Mausoleum is best preserved. The stone carvings of Tang dynasty tombs is splendid. Arranged on both sides of the path leading to the tombs are stone carvings, Such as stone pillars, winged horses, ostriches, stone horses and persons leading horses, as well as stone figures. In addition, in the Qianling Mausoleum between the stone figures and the third watchtower, there are a characterless tablet and a recorded tablet narrating the history of a sage.

Between the third water tower and the stone lion in front of the north Zhuque Gate on the left and right sides, there are a total of 61 statues of guests of the king. The east, west and north gates in the inner city are like the south gate, with a pair of stone lions and a pair of earthen watch towers. outside the earthen watchtowers at the north gate are added three pairs of horses, called "six dragons", indicating they are the inner stables of the imperial palace. pine, cypress, Chinese scholar tree and poplar are widely planted in side the mausoleum district, setting off the stone carving which, undoubtedly has enriched the content of the mausoleum district and expanded the control space of the mausoleum district, contrasting the height and grandeur of the mausoleum hill, and playing a great role in playing up the atmosphere of dignity and nobility.

It can be seen that this mausoleum system is identical with the planning idea of the city of Chang'an. The entire mausoleum area is equivalent to the walled city; the Subordinated tombs are in the suburbs' the area stretching northward from the second door is equivalent to the imperial city; the stone figures and stone lions symbolize the guards of honor posted when the emperor goes out; the "inner city" inside the Zhuque gate is equivalent to the palatial city. The design of the mausoleum, like the design of the capital city, is permeated with strict ritual system logic, both designed to give prominence to the dignity of imperial power.