Western Xia tombs

Occupying an area of some 50 km², the XiXia mausoleum at the foot of the Helan Mountains in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of NW China includes nine imperial mausoleums and 250 tombs of imperial relatives and officials. 17,000 m² have so far been excavated, and efforts are underway to secure and preserve the remains of this poorly understood era.

The XiXia (Western Xia) civilization dates between 1038 and 1227, and was founded by the Tangut ethnic group, about which little is currently known. They vanished under mysterious circumstances in the 13th century. Of current excavations, only the No.3 mausoleum has been adequately excavated and researched. This mausoleum is attributed to Xixia's first emperor Li Yuanhao (1003-1048), has been determined as a pavilion-tower construction fusing both traditional mausoleum and temple styles with Buddhist characteristics.

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