The Imperial Tombs of Ming and Qing Dynasties, a cultural-relic building complex planned and constructed with utmost care by the emperors of the two Dynasties of Ming and Qing, embody China’s highest funerary rites of the feudal society and the world outlook, life-death view, moral concept and habitual custom of the feudal society that lasts thousands of years, and embody China’s top-level planning thought and architectural art as well; the tombs are distributed in Beijing, Hebei, Liaoning, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei, and their main buildings are integrally preserved, reflecting the original look of the imperial mausoleums.

Among the Ming Dynasty imperial mausoleums that are perfectly preserved are: Ming Imperial Mausoleum, Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Ming Zuling Mausoleum, Ming Thirteen Mausoleums and Ming Xianling Mausoleum; while among those of the Qing Dynasty are: Qing Yongling Mausoleum, Qing Fuling Mausoleum, Qing Zhaoling Mausoleum, Eastern Qing Mausoleums and Western Qing Mausoleums.

In 2000 they were ranked in the “World Cultural Heritage List”. In July 2003, the Ming Thirteen Mausoleums and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleums were put into the “World Heritage List” as a part of the imperial mausoleums of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. And on July 1st, 2004, the Three Mausoleums in Shengjing were listed in the world cultural heritages as the expanded items of the Imperial Tombs of Ming and Qing Dynasties.