Tomb of Crown Prince Zhanghuai

The Tomb of Crown Prince Zhanghuai is one of the three major tombs in the Qianling Mausoleum complex that can be visited by tourists. The other two tombs are the Tomb of Crown Prince Yide and the Tomb of Princess Yongtai. These underground chambers of these tombs are richly decorated with colorful murals and they are often referred to as the Underground Tang Art Gallery. 

Prince Zhanghuai (653–684) was named Li De and was also named Li Xian. He was the sixth son of Emperor Gaozong who was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Gaozong was a weak emperor who was eventually reduced to be a kind of a figurehead emperor while his wife ruled from behind the throne by terror and by staffing the government with capable supporters. His wife was named Empress Wu, and Prince Zhanghuai lived with the open suspicion that she wasn’t his real mother. Eventually, she killed him as she consolidated power. He was placed in his own mausoleum near his father’s mausoleum. The tomb is decorated with colored murals showing the life of courtiers of the times.

Three kilometers (1.86 miles) south east of the Qianling Mausoleum, the tomb is 71 meters (233 feet) long by 3.3 meters (11 feet) wide and 7 meters (23 feet) deep. It consists of a paved path, arches, a patio and two chambers sited one behind the other. Fifty murals in an excellent state of preservation decorate the walls. Covering some 400 square meters (478.5 square yards) these murals illustrate scenes from the life of the unfortunate prince. 

One of the most interesting of these is known as the 'Meeting of the Guests'. This mural shows three Tang officials accompanying ambassadors from abroad such as Rome and Korea as well as ethnic groups from north-east China and elsewhere. During the Tang Dynasty Chang'an was a cosmopolitan city with a population exceeding a million. The mural serves to remind us that much of the prosperity of the Tang was due to their international relationships with more than 300 different countries.

Other murals depict parades, dancing, games, female courtiers, ministers and a polo match, the game having been introduced from Persia and very popular among the Tang aristocracy. In addition to the paintings, in excess of 600 terra cotta items and tri-color vessels bear witness to the social systems and customs of the day.

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