Eastern Qing Tombs Sightseeing

See the sights of the Eastern Qing Tombs, a lovely scenic area to the east of Beijing.

Level 1

approx. 3 hours of walking around the tombs (Can I do it?)

This hike is not currently scheduled

Contact us for schedule updates or set up a private hike

The Eastern Qing Tombs are located in Hebei Province, to the east of Beijing and a little way outside of the Beijing municipality. As opposed to the well known Ming Tombs in Changping, the Eastern Qing Tombs are grouped quite closely together, making it easy to see a lot at the same time. The tombs are no less interesting than the Ming Tombs, and several of the tombs have their underground areas—called Underground Palaces—open to visits. In some places, the red walls and halls look a little like parts of the Forbidden City, were it to have a more open-plan layout.

In the Eastern Qing Tombs complex we can visit the tombs of numerous famous figures of the Qing Dynasty, including Shun Zhi (first emperor of the Qing Dynasty), Empress Dowager Cixi, and Qian Long (seventh and longest-reigning emperor of the Qing Dynasty). The site was chosen for its auspicious feng shui: mountains behind, and water in front.

As the name suggests, there are also Western Qing Tombs. The reason for this is that son of one of the Qing Emporers plotted to usurp the throne, and as a result of this ‘complication’, it was decided that each successive emperor should be interred in a different location, alternating between the Western and Eastern Qing Tombs.

We’ll first visit the main block of tombs and take a good look around as much of the complex as possible. After we’ve seen enough of the tomb, we’ll take a short walk along the Sacred Way, and then get a nice big lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to Beijing.

During our visit we’ll have one of the employees of the tomb complex accompanying us to explain the historical and cultural aspects of the tombs, and our tour guide will translate this information and any questions you have.

This is more of a sightseeing trip than a hike, and the only walking involved is between different areas of the tomb complex. The price includes transport, guide, information and translation of park expert, through tickets for the tombs, and a tasty meal of Chinese food after we’ve finished looking around.

We’ll need 8-10 people signed up to make this trip happen.

What to bring on this hike

• Snacks
• Warm clothes
• Comfortable shoes for walking
• (Click here to read our full What to Bring on a Hike list)

Reasons you might not enjoy this hike

• It’s a long drive out there.
• No hiking involved!