The largest of the three imperial cemeteries of the Qing Dynasty, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty are located in the Changrui Mountain area of Malanyu in the northwest of Zunhua City, Hebei Province, 125 kilometers from downtown Beijing and 150 kilometers from Tianjin. There are 5 imperial tombs, 4 hou tombs, 5 imperial princess tombs, 8 prince tombs, 4 nanny tombs, 1 Zhenguan tomb and 1 Mu cemetery, with a total of 161 people buried.
The Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty were built in 1661 and lasted a total of 247 years, beginning with the Shunzhi Emperor's Aixinjuelo Fulin and ending abruptly in the year Puyi's succession. During the reign of the Qing Dynasty, there were always special institutions to preside over the sacrifices, and there were also special troops to guard the mausoleum and its surroundings. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty were repeatedly looted and excavated before 1952.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty were once again protected by specialized institutions.
In 1961, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty were listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit, and on November 30, 2000, it was listed as a world cultural heritage.
In January 2001, Qing Dongling was listed as a national 4A tourist scenic spot. In October 2015, the Tangshan Qingdongling Scenic Area, where the Qingdongling Tomb is located, was listed as a 5A-level tourist attraction by the National Tourism Administration.
The identity and duties of the tomb keeper
The Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty were one of the five imperial tombs of the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty attached great importance to the protection of the imperial tomb, and as early as the Shunzhi Emperor, it set up an institution to manage the affairs of the mausoleum, and stationed the Eight Banners soldiers. These guards of the imperial tomb were all from the Manchuria, Mongolian, and Han armies, and they all later became hereditary tomb guards.
The duties of the tomb keeper mainly have two aspects: first, to prevent the invasion of tomb robbers and foreign enemies, and to protect the safety of the imperial tomb; The second is responsible for sacrifices and cleaning, maintaining the cleanliness and solemnity of the imperial tomb.
The tomb keepers not only patrol the cemeteries during the day, but also stand guard at night to respond to emergencies at any time. Every festival such as the Qingming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Winter Solstice, or the death day of the emperor, empress, concubine and other tomb owners, the tomb keepers must also perform sacrificial ceremonies in accordance with the regulations, worship the ancestors, and express loyalty and respect.
The salary and treatment of the tomb keepers during the Qing Dynasty
During the Qing Dynasty, tomb guards were people who were specifically responsible for protecting and managing the emperor's mausoleums, and most of them were royal families or Baqi disciples, with special political identities and status.
The origin and division of labor of the tomb keepers
The imperial tombs of the Qing Dynasty are mainly divided into three places, namely the Three Tombs of Guanwai, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty and the Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty. The Three Tombs of Guanwai refer to the Yongling Tombs of Fuling, Zhaoling and Xinbin in Shenyang. The Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty are located in Changrui Mountain in Zunhua City, Hebei Province. The Qingxi Tomb is located at the foot of Yongning Mountain in Yi County, Hebei Province.
There are three main sources of tomb keepers:
The special tomb keepers appointed by the Internal Affairs Office specially guarded the tomb for the emperor's family.
The Eight Flags Guardians can only qualify as Guardians of the Tomb if they belong to the three flags of Zhenghuang, Yellow and Blue, and most of them are people who are related to the Aisin Gyoro family and are responsible for protecting the safety of the imperial tomb.
Guardian ministers appointed by the imperial court, members of the royal family or high-ranking officials, were responsible for presiding over ceremonies and administering internal affairs.
The division of labor of the guards of the tomb is also very meticulous, including the minister of the tomb, langzhong, yuanwailang, zanlilang, the director, the reading of the official of the congratulation, the meal zheng, the shang chazheng, the inner management collar, the pen style, the tea room, the dining room, the incense lamp, the leader, the idle, etc.
There are also special types of work, such as sugar makers, pasteers, pasteurs, winemakers, netizers, cattle and sheep workers, butchers, eagle breeders, bird breeders, milking cows, fruit harvesters, grass mowing workers, yard sweepers, etc. These jobs are generally passed down from generation to generation.
The salary and treatment of the tomb keeper
The salaries and benefits of the tomb keepers were issued by the imperial court, and they received monthly salaries and daily necessities according to their ranks. In addition to this, there are some special subsidies and benefits.
The guards of the tomb enjoy official salaries and royal subsidies, which together are twice the actual treatment. For example, a seventh-grade official can receive 24 taels of silver and 21 stones of grain every year, 20 taels of handling expenses when he gets married, and 30 taels of funeral expenses when he dies. And a seventh-rank level tomb keeper can get twice these incomes.
The tomb keeper can also be allocated a certain amount of official land to grow grain or rent it out for rent. Generally speaking, each household can be divided into three-thirds of three acres of land (about 0.2 hectares), and there are three rooms in the courtyard, and the head sleeps in the direction of the imperial tomb.
Tomb keepers can also enjoy preferential policies of tax exemption and exemption from military service, and do not have to pay various taxes and perform servitude. They were also not subject to local government and squire, and only obeyed orders from the Interior and the Crown.
Guardians also have access to public services such as education and medical care. There is a school in the imperial tomb, and the students in the school are the children of the tomb keepers. As soon as they are born, they register for the household registration and immediately enjoy the seven-grade treatment. The Imperial Mausoleum also houses a hospital that provides free medical treatment and medicines.
In short, during the Qing Dynasty, the guards of the tombs were a very privileged and stable profession, and they could not only receive higher income levels than ordinary people and officials, but also enjoy various privileges and benefits. They also formed a closed and proud group as a result.
The fate of the tomb keepers after the fall of the Qing Dynasty
In 1912, the Qing Dynasty fell and the Republic of China was established. In accordance with the provisions of the "Eight Articles for the Protection of the Qing Room", there are three royal cemetery offices outside the East and West Passes, and special personnel are responsible for management and protection. These people are the original tomb keepers or their descendants.
In the early Republic of China, under the rule of Beiyang warlords such as Yuan Shikai, these tomb guards were able to receive Yulu on time and continue to perform sacrificial ceremonies. However, with the weakening of national strength and political corruption, the imperial court's treasury could not make ends meet. The number of guards in the tomb decreased, and the standard of living began to decline.
In 1928, after Sun Dianying led the nationalist army to openly excavate the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China government was more lax in managing the royal cemetery. Many Manchu aristocrats who had previously held official or military positions also changed their surnames to Sinicization or fled overseas. The tomb keepers, who originally relied on the imperial court to live, also lost their financial resources.
In such a difficult and difficult environment, many of the Baqi disciples who had become tomb keepers in order to survive chose to leave or change careers. However, there are also some descendants of the royal family who originally became the guardians of the tomb for the sake of faith, who chose to stay and continue to guard the imperial tomb.
These remaining tomb keepers no longer relied on government handicaps to survive, but were self-reliant, carving out land around the imperial tomb to grow food or run small traders and hawkers.
They also no longer perform such grand and complicated rituals, but simplify some procedures, only going to the tomb to sweep tombs, lay flowers, burn incense, and pray for blessings during the Qingming Festival and the Winter Solstice Festival every year. They also no longer wore their original official uniforms, but changed into ordinary civilian uniforms to show their low profile and humility.
They also no longer enjoy their original wealth and real estate, but rely on their own labor and business to make a living. They no longer have their original privileges and status, but are on an equal footing with the local people, and even suffer some discrimination and ridicule.
However, they still adhere to their beliefs and mission, believing that they are loyal descendants of the emperor's family and have the responsibility to protect the ancestral tombs from infringement and destruction. They also still miss their history and culture, and consider themselves the pride and glory of the Manchus. They are also still looking forward to their future and hope, and consider themselves to be part and contributors to the Chinese nation.
These remaining tomb keepers, with their perseverance and dedication, showed a rare spirit and character. They also used their lives and stories to write a moving history and legend.
The life and vicissitudes of the tomb keepers
Although the guards of the tomb are seventh-grade officials, they are not rich. They lived in villages around Tanglin and survived on the salaries and grain distributed by the imperial court.
Most of them married and had children with the local people, and lived a dull and fixed life. They have a strong sense of mission and honor for their duties, believing that it is a tradition and responsibility left by their ancestors, as well as loyalty and filial piety to the royal family.
However, with the changes of the times, the tomb keepers have also experienced many twists and turns and hardships. In 1912, the Qing Dynasty fell and the Beiyang government took over Tanglin, promising to continue to protect cultural relics and pay wages. However, due to the turbulent times and the chaos of warlords, Tanglin was often destroyed and plundered.
In 1924, after Puyi was driven out of the Forbidden City, Tanglin lost even more protection. In 1932, after Puyi became the puppet emperor of Manchukuo, he tried to regain control of Tanglin under Japanese control and sent the Japanese to station. However, the Tanglin management headed by Huang Zhenzhi opposed the Japanese stationing in Tanglin and said that they would not cooperate with the Japanese.
In 1940, when Japan's invasion of China intensified, the Tanglin Office was forcibly taken over by the Japanese, and Huang Zhenzhi resolutely decided to abandon the government and become a citizen.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, during the land reform movement, Huang Zhenzhi was designated as a wealthy household and sentenced to four years in prison. In 1956, after the implementation of the policy, he resumed his citizenship rights, and was elected as a member of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a deputy to the Provincial People's Congress, and a librarian of culture and history. In 1966, the Cultural Revolution began, and then he was persecuted. After the death of Huang Zhenzhi in 1970, the last generation of tomb keepers in the Qing Dynasty also officially withdrew from the historical stage.
The meaning of the existence of the tomb keepers
It has been 108 years since the Great Qing died, why are there still tomb keepers? This is because the new Chinese government attaches great importance to the protection of cultural relics and arranges relevant departments to pay salaries to the tomb keepers. The reason why the state keeps the tomb keepers is also to protect cultural relics and inherit history.
The Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty are not only tombs, but also a period of history and culture. Buried here are representative figures of the dynasty that ruled China for nearly three hundred years, whether they were wise or mediocre, tragic or desolate, leaving a deep and complex mark on history.
It also shows the artistic level and style characteristics of Qing Dynasty architecture, carving, gardens, sacrifices, etc., and has unique and precious value in the world.
Therefore, it is very necessary and reasonable to arrange professional and loyal managers in such an important and sensitive place. The tomb keepers can not only effectively prevent tomb thieves and other saboteurs from causing losses to the imperial tomb, but also carry out timely repair and cleaning work to maintain the integrity and aesthetics of the imperial tomb.
More importantly, the guardians can inherit and carry forward the respect and love for historical and cultural heritage, and establish a good and positive image in the society.
In short, in today's society, there are still the last group of tomb keepers of the Qing Dynasty, which is not a feudal remnant or senseless waste, but a historical responsibility and cultural mission. With their hard and selfless work, they show us a true and vivid picture of history and convey to us a cherished and protected cultural message.
Today's Tomb Keeper
Today, in this ancient and mysterious royal cemetery, there is a special group of people silently guarding the resting place of their ancestors. They are the guardians of the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty.
A tomb keeper is a person who is responsible for worship, cleaning, guarding, maintenance, etc. in the royal cemetery. Most of them are local villagers who have lived here since childhood, and some are even descendants of families who have held this responsibility since the Qing Dynasty. They are very loyal and in awe of their work, considering it an honor and a mission.
It is understood that there are still about 40 families living in the original official residences or houses built by themselves in the Eastern Mausoleum of the Qing Dynasty. They perform daily rituals, cleaning, patrolling, etc., and regularly inspect and repair each building. They also receive visiting tourists and scholars and introduce them to the history and culture of the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty.
After the founding of New China, the guards of the tomb began to be managed and paid by the cultural relics department. With the establishment of the socialist system and the implementation of the reform and opening up policy, the income level of the tomb keepers has gradually increased, and they have enjoyed various social security and benefits.
At present, the guards working in the Eastern Mausoleum of the Qing Dynasty are all officially established state civil servants or employees of public institutions, and enjoy corresponding salaries, bonuses, subsidies, medical care, pension and other benefits in accordance with relevant regulations.
In this fickle world, in this royal cemetery that has gone through vicissitudes, in this loyal group, in this family with continuous inheritance, the tomb keepers interpret their respect and respect for ancestors and history with their actions.
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