Eastern Qing Tombs Jingling Mausoleum Shengde Shengong Stele Pavilion

In 1723, under the order of the Yongzheng Emperor, craftsmen began erecting the great stele pavilion for the Kangxi Emperor's Jingling Mausoleum. They completed the Eastern Qing Tombs Jingling Mausoleum Shengde Shengong Stele Pavilion in 1725, placing it at the southern entrance of the sacred road, south of the Five-Arch Bridge.

Above, a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof clad in imperial yellow glazed tiles rises against the sky. Below, four arched doorways open on each side, allowing both travellers and wind to pass through. Stonecarvers embellished the arch frames with flowing cloud and dragon reliefs. For the base and steps, builders employed large blocks of fine grey-green marble, carefully dressed and fitted, their surfaces still displaying the crisp tool marks of early eighteenth-century masons.Inside the pavilion, a towering stone stele stands on the back of a massive stone tortoise, a symbol of endurance. The stele bears a long eulogy composed by the Yongzheng Emperor, recounting the Kangxi Emperor's virtues and military triumphs. The text appears in Manchu, Mongolian, and Chinese scripts, underscoring the Qing dynasty's claim to universal rule.

Today, the Eastern Qing Tombs Jingling Mausoleum Shengde Shengong Stele Pavilion remains in excellent condition. Visitors to the 5A-level scenic area can walk through its archways and read the ancient inscriptions, experiencing the solemnity of Qing imperial ritual.