Published : 15/07/2025
With towering mountains, vast deserts, lush forests, and serene lakes, Ningxia in northwest China boasts centuries of history.
The Xixia Tombs in Ningxia, hailed as the "Pyramids of the East," has just been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It bears witness to the dynasty that had dominated the northwest region for 200 years.
Let's step on the journey to unravel the ancient secrets.
Xixia Imperial Tombs: A dynastic legacy at foot of Helan Mountains
Stepping into the area of Xixia Imperial Tombs (西夏王陵) is like opening a long-sealed thick historical book.
Located on the northwestern edge of the Yinchuan Plain (銀川平原) in Ningxia, on the eastern slopes of Helan Mountain (賀蘭山), this mausoleum complex covers nearly 40 square kilometres. It stands as one of China's largest and best-preserved imperial burial sites, with remarkably intact above-ground relics.
Within the Xixia Imperial Tombs, there are nine imperial tombs and 271 accompanying tombs arranged in a scattered manner, each imperial tomb facing north towards south, forming a longitudinal rectangular shape.
It is an independent architectural group that can be compared to the Ming Tombs (明十三陵) in Beijing.
The exterior of the Xixia Imperial Tombs is highly distinctive, combining the strengths of Qin, Han, Tang, and Song imperial tombs and influenced by Buddhism.
The octagonal dense eaves style of the tomb platform is the most striking, resembling "The Pyramids of the East" with layered dense eaves narrowing from bottom to top to form a triangular shape.
Despite the erosion of time and the mottled rammed earth, the Xixia Imperial Tombs still stands majestically, silently standing at the foot of Helan Mountain, unafraid of the wind and rain.
The XiXia Dynasty was established in 1038 AD and lasted nearly 200 years, coexisting contendingly with Liao, Northern Song, Jin, and Southern Song Dynasties. It was later destroyed by the Mongols. Due to the Yuan Dynasty's failure to compile the history of XiXia, many historical records are scarce, shrouding this dynasty in mystery.
However, whether it is protected by the "imperial aura" is unknown, but according to local residents, the Xixia Tombs has stood for many years without a single blade of grass growing on it, and even birds never alight on the tombs, adding to the aura of mystery around the imperial tombs.
Recently, this heritage site bearing the memory of civilisation was successfully inscribed as a World Heritage site, becoming China's 60th World Heritage treasure.
The splendour and vicissitudes told by the Xixia Dynasty, as well as the 200 years of brilliant civilisation it witnessed, can be more widely known and cherished by the world.
Read more: Three Chinese sites added to World Heritage List
Baisikou Twin Pagodas: Artistic wonders of Xixia
Ningxia also has many historical sites bearing the history of Xixia, among which is the tourist hotspot Helan Mountain Baisikou Twin Pagodas (拜寺口雙塔) in Ningxia's Yinchuan, a historical site built during the Xixia period, with a history of a thousand years to date.
In the fourth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), an eight-magnitude earthquake struck Yinchuan, demolishing the nearby buildings.
However, the Baisikou Twin Pagodas stood tall among the mountains, showcasing the advanced XiXia architectural techniques.
Baisikou Twin Pagodas are two hollow octagonal brick pagodas with dense eaves. Despite having no base, they are firmly rooted in the ground, having withstood nearly a thousand years of weather.
The East Pagoda stands 39 metres tall, slender and graceful, while the West Pagoda is 41 metres tall, appearing more imposing.
The bodies of both pagodas are adorned with coloured glaze tiles. Under the eaves of each level, there are vivid brick carvings of beast heads, Buddha statues, and various floral patterns, each tower similar in form yet distinct in style.
According to legend, the Twin Pagodas are celestial objects that protect the area by ensuring favorable weather, adding an aura of mystery.
Their artistic charm draws people to immerse themselves in the beauty of these XiXia Buddhist pagodas.
Read more: Why has Shanxi's Haning Temple stood for over 1500 years?