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NINGXIA: Mausoleums of Western Xia Kingdom
The kings of the ancient kingdom of Western Xia are buried in nine mausoleums on the eastern side of the Helan Mountain. Forming a complete architectural group together with these mausoleums over an area of 50 square kilometers are also tombs of 193 high officials, generals and aristocrats, ruins of a Buddhist temple, and a dozen or so brick and tile kilns dating back to the Western Xia period. This is one of the largest and best preserved imperial graveyards in China. The Western Xia mausoleums are unique not only in structure but also in their sheer sizes and close proximity to each other. A seven-layered solid pagoda 22 meters in height and octagonal in shape, with each side measurig 12 meters in length, is positioned 10 meters west of the vertical line of each mausoleum, which is also graced with two to three stele pavilions. The boundaries of each mausoleum are marked with four corner turrets, a unique feature of Western Xia mausoleums. The companion tombs are in cylindrical, truncated cones, vaulted and other designs.
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