The Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties are four groups of tombs in four provinces of eastern China. The tombs, designed in keeping with the Chinese principles of geomancy (feng-shui), provide outstanding evidence of Chinese beliefs and traditions from the 14th century onwards and are significant examples of architecture and applied arts from that period.
明清皇家陵寝指的是位于中国东部四省的四个皇家陵墓群。这些皇家陵寝依照中国的风水理论精心选址修建，是14世纪以来中国古代信仰和传统的体现，同时也是当时建筑技巧和实用艺术水平的见证。
Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty (inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2003)
明孝陵（2003年列入《世界遗产名录》）
Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, located at the south foot of Mount Zhong, the highest peak of Ningzhen Mountains on the south bank of the lower reaches of Yangtze River, in the eastern suburban of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, is the mausoleum of Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398) , the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Regarded as the most important one of all the Ming tombs, Xiaoling Tomb's burial system served as a link between its past and future in that it inherited the cream of the imperial burial systems of the Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties, added unique innovations to them, and created the imperial burial system used by both the Ming and Qing Emperors. The Tombs of the Ming and Qing Emperors in Beijing, Hubei, Qiaoning, and Hebei due to different historical stages were all built in conformity with the scale and style of the Xiaoling Tomb in Nanjing. The Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty was a milestone in the history of imperial burial system in ancient China, because Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Emperors, Xianling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty and the Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty all inherited the standards of the Xiaoling Tomb. Standardizing the overall layout and genre of over 20 imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties over more than 500 years, the Xiaoling Tomb enjoys high position in history with far-reaching influences.
位于江苏省南京市东郊，长江下游南岸的宁镇山脉最高峰钟山南麓，是明代（1368-1644年）开国皇帝朱元璋（1328-1398）的陵寝，为中国明陵之首。明孝陵的陵寝制度承前启后，继承了汉、唐、宋帝陵制度的优秀成分，独创新规，开创了明清两代帝陵制度的帝王。依历史进程分布于北京、湖北、辽宁、河北等地的明清帝王陵寝，都是按南京明孝陵的规制和模式营建的。在中国古代帝陵制度史上具有里程碑地位，为明十三陵、明显陵、清东陵、清西陵所沿袭，规范着明、清两代500多年20多座帝陵建筑的总体格局和风貌，其地位崇高，影响极为深远。
Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Emperors (inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2003)
明十三陵（2003年列入《世界遗产名录》）
Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Emperors, located at the foot of Tianshan Mountain in Changping District of Beijing with an area of 80 square kilometers, is the general name for the mausoleums of the thirteen Ming Emperors in power after the capital was moved to Beijing. The Tombs are the reminders of the most part of the Ming Dynasty history since the construction of Chang Tomb in 1409 until the Chongzhen Emperor was buried in the Si Tomb in 1644. The Thirteen Tombs, strict in tomb locations selection, unique in designs, delicate in constructions, meticulous in building materials using, are the typical examples of Chinese imperial mausoleum constructions. The burial system employed in the Tombs was somewhat innovated upon that of the previous dynasty, and had far-reaching influences on the imperial tombs of the Qing Dynasty. In the mausoleum area, besides tombs of 13 Emperors, 23 Empresses, and dozens of immolated imperial concubines, there are still seven tombs of imperial concubines, one tomb of eunuch, imperial palaces and imperial gardens. The historical sites and relics are all material evidences for studies of burial system, funeral standards, sacrifice offering procedures, personnel system, architectural technology and technique, politics, economics, culture, military in the Ming Dynasty.
地处北京市昌平区北部天寿山麓，陵域面积80平方千米，是明朝迁都北京后13位皇帝陵墓的总称。1409年始建长陵，至1644年崇祯帝葬入思陵，承载着明朝大部分历史。陵寝选址审慎、设计独特、施工精细、用材考究，是中国帝陵建筑中的典型范例。陵寝规制在前朝制度上有所创新，并对清帝陵产生深远影响。陵区内除葬有13位皇帝、23位皇后以及数十名殉葬宫妃外，还建有7座妃子坟和1座太监墓以及行宫、苑囿等建筑，其历史遗存是研究明朝陵寝制度、丧葬典制、祭祀礼仪、职官体制和建筑技术、工艺乃至政治、经济、文化、军事等方面的实物资料。
Xianling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty (inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000)
明显陵（2000年列入《世界遗产名录》）
Xianling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, located on Mount Cunde, five kilometers north-east
of Zhongxiang city in Hubei Province, is the tomb of the Ming Shizong Emperor
Jiajing's father Gongruixian Emperor Zhu Youyuan (1476-1519) and Jiajing Emperor's
mother Zhangsheng empress dowager. The construction of Xianling Tomb began in
the 14th year in the reign of Zhengde (1519), and completed in the 38th year
in the reign of Jiajing (1559), lasting for 40 years. The overall area of the
Tomb is 183.15 ha while the additional defensive walls outside the city walls
are 3,600 meters in length. The Tomb was built in the form of two closed cities
with over 30 magnificent building compounds, which are in perfect relation with
the surrounding mountains and lakes.
位于湖北省钟祥市东北5千米的纯德山，是明世宗嘉靖皇帝的父亲恭睿献皇帝朱祐杬(1476-1519年)、母亲章圣皇太后的合葬墓。始建于明正德十四年（1519年），迄于明嘉靖三十八年（1559年），历时四十年建成。围陵面积183.15公顷，外罗城周长3600米，整个陵园双城封建，由30余处规模宏大的建筑群组成，建筑掩映于山环水抱之中。
Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty (inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000)
清东陵（2000年列入《世界遗产名录》）
Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty, located in the Malan Vally of Zunhua City, Hebei Province, is one of the imperial mausoleums of the Qing Dynasty. The Tombs were started to be built in the 18th year in the reign of Shunzhi (1661). Altogether 161 members of the imperial family including five emperors and 15 empresses were buried here. The five tombs for Emperors are, namely, Xiaoling Tomb for Emperor Shunzhi, Jingling Tomb for Emperor Kangxi, Yuling Tomb for Emperor Qianlong, Dingling Tomb for Emperor Xianfeng, and Huiling Tomb for Emperor Tongzhi. The four tombs for Empresses are, namely, Zhaoxiling Tomb for Empress Xiaozhuangwen, Xiaodongling Tomb for Empress Xiaohuizhang, Dingdongling Tomb for Empress Xiaozhenxian (Ci'an), and Xiaodongling Tomb for Empress Xiaoqinxian (Cixi). Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty provide both precious material evidences for studies of burial system, funeral standard, sacrificing etiquettes, and architectural art and technique in the Qing Dynasty as well as typical examples for the studies of politics, economics, military, culture, science, and art at that time.
位于河北省遵化市马兰峪，是中国清朝的皇家陵园之一，始建于顺治十八年（1661年）。有5位皇帝、15位皇后共161位皇室人员埋葬于此。5座皇帝陵，即顺治帝的孝陵、康熙帝的景陵、乾隆帝的裕陵、咸丰帝的定陵和同治帝的惠陵；4座皇后陵，即孝庄文皇后的昭西陵、孝惠章皇后的孝东陵、孝贞显皇后（慈安）的定东陵和孝钦显皇后（慈禧）的定东陵。清东陵是研究清代陵寝规制、丧葬制度、祭祀礼仪、建筑艺术与工艺的不可多得的实物资料，也是研究清代政治、经济、军事、文化、科学、艺术的典型例证。
Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty (inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000)
清西陵（2000年列入《世界遗产名录》）
Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty, located in the Yi County of Hebei Province, 120 kilometers south-west of Beijing, was built between 1730 and 1915. The Tombs cover an area of 1,842 ha with a buffer zone of 6,458 ha, including 14 mausoleums and two ancillary buildings, the Yongfu Temple and the imperial palace. Because it is the latest mausoleum complex ever built in the Qing Dynasty and the last site of tombs of feudal emperors in China, Western Tombs are the comprehensive expression of Chinese ancient architectural art both in form, technology, and design ideas, and they are also the best-preserved Qing mausoleum. With abundant material evidences and historical documents, Western Tombs illustrate the Chinese mausoleum architectural art and genre and the significant development and changes of the religious believe of the imperial family between 1730s to early 20th century from different aspects.
位于北京西南120千米的河北省易县,建于1730年至1915年，包括14座陵寝和两座附属建筑永福寺和行宫，共占地1842公顷，缓冲区6458公顷。清皇陵中建筑年代最晚的陵墓群，中国最后一处封建帝王陵墓群，其建筑无论是形式、技术、思想都是古代建筑集大成者，是保存最为完整的清代陵寝，它以大量实物和史料，从不同侧面揭示了18世纪30年代至20世纪初期中国陵寝建筑艺术风格及皇家宗教信仰的重大发展、变化。