Yellow Emperor Mausoleum (Huangdi Ling)
黄帝陵Huángdì Líng
Where China honours its legendary first ancestor
Entry
From ¥75
Hours
Mon–Sun · ≈07:30
Time needed
2–3 hours
Booking
Required · 2 days ahead
The Yellow Emperor Mausoleum on Qiao Mountain in Huangling County is where China honours Xuanyuan Huangdi, the legendary ancestor of the Chinese people. It is often called 'the first mausoleum under heaven'. The site has two parts: the Xuanyuan Temple at the foot of the hill, with its Han-style halls and a cypress said to have been planted by the Yellow Emperor himself, and the tomb mound up a cypress-lined spirit path. Each Qingming Festival the state holds a public ceremony here, and the site closes to ordinary visitors until it ends. For a foreign visitor it is less about spectacle and more about understanding how China tells its own origin story. Most people combine it with Hukou Waterfall on a long tour day, or take the train to Huangling and continue to Yan'an.
Why visit
- China's foremost ancestral shrine
- Xuanyuan Temple and the 'Yellow Emperor cypress'
- Spirit path through ancient cypress groves on Qiao Mountain
- National Qingming ceremony held each spring
How to get there from Xi'an
- Trains to Huangling take about 2 h
- Day tours often pair it with Hukou Waterfall (long day)
- Self-drive via the Xi'an–Huangling expressway
- Continue north to Yan'an for an overnight
Tickets and timing
- Real-name tickets; bring your passport
- Avoid Qingming morning, when the public ceremony closes the site
- Allow 2–3 hours
- Shuttle carts link the temple and the tomb
Tickets are ¥75 for adults plus ¥20 for the return shuttle between the temple and the tomb; the site is open roughly 07:30–18:30 (shorter in winter). From Xi'an, the high-speed train to Huangling takes about 2 hours, then a taxi for the last stretch to the site.
Combine with
- Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River
- Yan'an revolutionary sites
- Loess Plateau cave dwellings
Questions, answered
Where is the Yellow Emperor Mausoleum?
On Qiao Mountain in Huangling County, Yan'an, about 170 km north of Xi'an.
How much is the Yellow Emperor Mausoleum ticket?
¥75 for adults, with a ¥20 return shuttle cart.
Can I visit the Yellow Emperor Mausoleum and Hukou Waterfall in one day?
Yes, many tours from Xi'an do both, but expect a 15-hour day.
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