Hohhot, Inner Mongolia: a place that continues to excite the imagination.
Zhaojun: The stuff that legends and dreams are made of.
Myth, legend, or reality? This beautiful woman has inspired stories down through the ages, beginning in 33BC. Books tell her story, as well as several Chinese movies. In China, especially in Inner Mongolia and in the capital, Hohhot, up-market women’s boutiques are named after her, in the hopes of making the women shopping within feel more beautiful. A large opulent hotel is also named after her, so this story obviously captures the public’s imagination, as her name is everywhere.
The Tomb of Zhaojun, also known as the “Green Grave” and “Tremur Wurb” in Mongolian (meaning an iron forest), is by the Da Hi River, 9km south of Hohhot. People believe it to be the burial place of Wang Zhaojun, the Ming imperial concubine in the Han Dynasty in Chinese historical records and legends, who brought peace and cemented Han-Mongol relations by marrying the king of Mongolia (Hun).
In 33BC, the fearsome warlike Hun chieftain (in Mongolia) offered an olive branch by proposing a marriage alliance with the Han. Wang Zhaojun, a low-level imperial Han concubine, volunteered. The Han emperor agreed to let this concubine go when he saw her unflattering portrait, but what he didn’t realize was that she’d been too proud to bribe the imperial painter, as other concubines had done, even if they were already beautiful. When the beautiful Wang Zhaojun entered the palace to be handed over to the Hun chieftain, the emperor saw his mistake, but it was too late.
The emperor watched sadly as the Hun chieftain swung Zhaojun onto his horse and rode off into the sunset. As the “Queen” of the Huns, Zhaojun used her influence to encourage peace between her homeland and her adopted home. The Huns did not try to attack the Hans again for 50 years.
The Tomb of Zhaojun, with its 2,000-year history, is one of Inner Mongolia’s most protected cultural relics. It’s a colossal man-made earthen mound about 33m high. With a base of 13,000 square meters, it is believed to be one of the biggest existing tombs from the Han Dynasty.
It is not a visually spectacular site---just a huge mound raised from the plain and planted with gardens, in the center of which is a modern pavilion---much more significant for what it IS than what it looks like. But it is a romantic story with important implications for modern Chinese politics: the harmonious marrying of the Han with minority peoples.
Beautification of the site continues---a big new paved square with huge “Greek” columns, landscaping of the actual mound, putting in more gardens, a pond with fountains and ducks, a kiosk, souvenir shops---so the Cultural Relics Department are obviously hoping to expand and promote the site, especially for local tourists. China is an emerging economy and the government is beginning to realize the value and importance of tourism. It’s only in recent years that ordinary Chinese have had enough money to travel and be tourists in their own country. The tourist sights we’ve been to (so far) are definitely geared to the local (Chinese) tourist.
A big bronze statue of Zhaojun and the king riding away on his horse greet you just beyond the ticket office, and even in bronze she looks gorgeous. Two small colorful Buddhist-style gazebos at the top of the first flight of steps have a series of paintings around the top, telling the story of Zhaojun. Especially interesting are the panels showing the court painter painting her portrait, as the panels try to recreate her story. We climb the steps to the top of the mound. A stele commemorates Zhaojun at the top, although nobody is quite sure exactly where in the mound she is buried, adding to her mystery. We get a good view out to the countryside, to red-roofed villages with courtyards, and to cultivated fields below and row upon row of long, simple “greenhouses” of plastic on adobe brick. We can only dimly see Hohhot in the distance through the haze.
Below the mound is a small museum with stele outside, and inside the story of Zhaojun (some boards in English), plus some of her things, which supposedly survived (clothes, jewels, small shoes, books, documents). They are rather touching if they are actually hers.
Around the corner from the museum is the entrance to a short tunnel leading into the base of the mound, lined with plaques that tell her story, and leading to a tiny shrine with a life-size female statue with offerings of watermelon and other fruits.
Just opposite that entrance, in an exhibition hall, is a wonderful display of Chinese “Spirit Stones”. Some of the stones, all displayed on special matching stands, are absolutely amazing---beautiful shape, color, inclusions, and patterns. Chinese people love stones for their beauty and durability.
You can also wander a path in the small woods around the tomb, if you have time.
We took a taxi from Zhaojun Hotel (150 yuan return, with the driver waiting), on the advice of the hotel receptionist, as there may not be a taxi outside to catch back. When we left the site, that did seem to be the case. Open 8-6 daily, 8-5 in winter. Entrance was 35 yuan (15 for youth and seniors).
THE TOMB OF ZHAOJUN