There are two imperial mausoleums in Hunan, one is the "No. 1 Mausoleum in China" and the other is the "No. 1 Mausoleum in China"
As an important part of Chu culture in Chinese civilization, Huxiang culture is extensive, profound and has a long history. Although Hunan in ancient times was not the main stage of history, it was also a Feng Shui treasure land that should not be underestimated.
There are two imperial mausoleums in Hunan, one is the "First Mausoleum in China" and the other is the "First Mausoleum in China".
Mausoleum of Emperor Yan: Located in Luyuan Pi, Luyuan Town, Yanling County, Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province, it has a history of more than a thousand years. With the rise and fall of successive dynasties, the Temple of Emperor Yan has also gone through vicissitudes, being destroyed and rebuilt many times. The core scenic area of Yandi Mausoleum covers an area of 5 square kilometers, and the total planned area is 102.5 square kilometers.
The Mausoleum of Emperor Yan is the resting place of the Yan Emperor Shennong, the founder of the Chinese nation. It enjoys the reputation of "the first mausoleum in China". It is a national key cultural relics protection unit and one of the top ten cultural heritages in Hunan Province. It has been selected into the "China National Natural Heritage" Preparatory List of Heritage, Natural and Cultural Heritage.
"Yandi Mausoleum Ceremony" is among the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage, and has been successfully selected as one of the "Top Ten Most Influential Family Cultural Events in the World". The Yandi Mausoleum consists of three major functional areas: the sacrificial area, the worship area, and the memorial area. It consists of more than 80 places including the Yandi Mausoleum Hall, Shennong Hall, Shennong Garden, Quemen, Huaxia Plaza, Fulin, Shengdelin, Huangshan Stele Forest, and Yandi Mausoleum Archway. It is composed of natural and cultural landscapes.
The ancient tombs here, surrounded by moss and water, the pious egrets, the imperial monuments, and the fragrance of beans that have lasted for 5,000 years have made this place a sacred landmark marking the beginning of Chinese civilization. In 2018, Yandi Mausoleum received 1.239 million visitors.
Today's imperial mausoleum has also been restored. After the restoration, the entire building covers an area of 3836 square meters and a construction area of 903 square meters. The mausoleum hall is divided into five entrances: the first entrance is the Meridian Gate, the second entrance is the ceremony pavilion, the third entrance is the main hall, the fourth entrance is the tombstone pavilion, and the fifth entrance is the mausoleum. Since then, the scenic area facilities have been continuously constructed and improved, and the scenic spots have been continuously enriched. The current open tourist area of the scenic area reaches 3.6 square kilometers.
Emperor Shun’s Mausoleum: Covering an area of 50,000 square meters, it is divided into two natural courtyards and nine single buildings. From the outside to the inside, there are Yudai Bridge, Yimen, Shinto, Shanmen, Qianmen, and Baidu. The palace, the main hall, the sleeping hall, the left and right wing rooms, the left and right stele chambers and the stele corridor are surrounded by three palace walls. It is magnificent and has a rigorous structure. It is the tallest and largest mausoleum among the tombs of the ancestors of our country, and is known as the "No. 1 mausoleum in China".
Since its emergency repair, reconstruction and opening in 1995, the Mausoleum of Emperor Shun has been a "holy place" for tourists at home and abroad and descendants of Yan and Huang to worship their ancestors, and has been listed as the province's patriotic education base.
In the embrace of the abrupt mountains and shaded by green mountains and green cypresses, the resplendent Mausoleum of Emperor Shun lies quietly. The wide and flat square, surrounded by mountains and rivers, with pavilions and pavilions, and nine relief columns symbolizing the "Nine Five Lords" welcomes visitors from all directions. The majestic and holy palace is very majestic.
The beautiful natural scenery and mysterious and simple humanistic atmosphere create the extraordinary scenery here. Now it is a famous scenic spot in Hunan and a national 4A-level scenic spot. The scenic area covers an area of about 530 square kilometers and has as many as 150 scenic spots.