8:30, Hotel pick-up, transfer to Qianling Mausoleum
Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at the scheduled time, holding a trekinfini pick-up sign with your name on it. From there, you will be taken to Qianling Mausoleum in a comfortable private vehicle (80 km, 90 minutes).
10:00 - 12:00, Explore Qianling Mausoleum & Mt. Liangshan
Qianling Mausoleum is best known for its colossal stone sculptures of exquisite detail. Two Tang emperors were buried here, Gaozong and the Empress Regnant Wu Zetian, Gaozong's wife who crowned herself in 695 AD. Their imperial tombs set the standard for all funerary Sacred Ways that followed. On this field study trip, explore the four gates built on the inner wall of the tomb to enclose Mount Liangshan: the East Azure Dragon Gate, the North Black Tortoise Gate. From the West White Tiger Gate, hike for 60 minutes to reach the top of Mt. Lianshan (elevation 1048 metres). Descend to the South Vermillion Bird Gate passing the entrance of the tomb chamber. Walking along the Sacred Way to the Nipple Hills (the second ceremonial gate). Transfer to the first ceremonial gate to get a general view of Qianling Mausoleum.
12:00 - 13:00, Lunch break (not included in the tour)
Lunch is not included in this tour. However, your guide can suggest local food options. Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary needs, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, or halal, so we can make the necessary arrangements.
13:00 - 15:00, Explore Tang Jianling Mausoleum
The Tang Jianling Mausoleum is the final resting place of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty. The Jianling Mausoleum is famous for its numerous above-ground Tang dynasty stone statues. All the 36 stone sculpted ornamental columns, animals and guarding officials are still proudly standing along the Sacred Way. The stone carvings at Jianling Mausoleum are the most intricate and well-preserved among all 18 Imperial Tombs of the Tang Dynasty.
15:00 - 17:00, Explore Tang Zhaoling Mausoleum
Zhaoling is the final resting place of Emperor Taizong who is regarded as one of the greatest Chinese emperors. In 636 AD, Emperor Taizong chose Mt. Jiuzong as the site for his mausoleum, which is known as Zhaoling. The six stone horse reliefs that line the Sacred Way of Zhaoling at the mausoleum are renowned worldwide. In 1920, two of the Taizong horse reliefs were smuggled to the US and sold to the University of Pennsylvania for US $125,000. The Penn Museum hailed these two horse reliefs as the most important examples of Chinese sculpture outside of China. The remaining four reliefs are now housed in Xi’an’s Stele Forest Museum.
17:00 - 18:30, Transfer back to your hotel in Xi'an
At the end of the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel (approximately 76 km, around 1.5 hours).
