Wenling (文陵, Wénlíng) was the imperial mausoleum of Emperor Ling of Han, the twelfth emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. The tomb was located northeast of Luoyang in what is now Henan Province.
Description
Like most Eastern Han imperial tombs, Wenling consisted of a large earthen mound (封土堆, fēngtǔduī) surrounded by a walled compound. The mausoleum complex included a spirit way (神道, shéndào) lined with stone statues, as was customary for Han dynasty imperial burials.
Emperor Ling died on 13 May 189 CE and was buried at Wenling. He received the posthumous title Emperor Ling (灵帝) and the temple name Lingzong (灵宗).
History
The tomb was reportedly plundered during the chaos following Dong Zhuo’s occupation of Luoyang in 189 CE. When Dong Zhuo burned the capital and forced the imperial court to relocate to Chang’an, the imperial tombs near Luoyang were left vulnerable to looting.
The tomb mound remains visible today but is in poor condition, with little of the original architectural features surviving. The site has suffered significant damage over the centuries from both natural erosion and human activity.