Five emperors of the last dynasty of China lie in the foothills of the Yanshan range, about a hundred and twenty kilometres east of Beijing, and the place was chosen with the care of a general choosing a battlefield. The Eastern Qing Tombs, near the town of Zunhua in Hebei, form the largest imperial burial ground in the country: Shunzhi, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng and Tongzhi are all buried here, along with their empresses and concubines, in a valley sealed by mountains. Feng shui masters said the site had everything: a high peak behind, hills on both sides, a stream in front. UNESCO inscribed the complex in 2000, later joining it with the Ming tombs in its listing.
The layout is a long ceremony in stone. A sacred way leads in from the entrance gate, past a great stone archway and a procession of carved animals and officials that guard the dead, and ends at the tombs themselves, each with its halls, bridges and a mound called the treasure city. The grandest belongs to Qianlong, whose underground chambers are carved with Buddhist texts and images, and which can be visited. The tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi is the most notorious: in 1928 the warlord Sun Dianying blew it open and plundered it, and what was found inside has been a subject of argument ever since.
Space is the thing you notice. The cypress and pine trees, planted in avenues, have grown huge, and between the buildings there is a stillness that tourist crowds, even on a busy weekend, do not quite break. The yellow glazed roofs and red walls stand out against the grey-green hills, and in autumn the poplars add gold. The air is cool and dry, and from late autumn through winter you can often have a courtyard to yourself.
The roads around Zunhua are straight and flat in the plain and climb gently into the hills, and the countryside is a mix of orchards, walnut and chestnut groves, villages and the odd coal truck. This area is not densely served, with no sizeable town near the tombs, so top up with fuel in Zunhua or Tangshan before heading in. Visitors who want to ride in China must check the rules on licences and registration, which are strict and subject to change. Hebei cuisine is hearty, with noodles, dumplings and braised meat, and the roasted chestnuts in autumn are famous. Spring and autumn are the best seasons.