The construction was started in 636 and finished in 649 before the death of Emperor Taizong. It was initially meant for his deceased wife, Empress Zhangsun who requested a modest burial in a mountain with ceramics and wood as her burial goods. Taizong was buried there conjointly in 650. In following her request, only 100 men were used to cut stone and the grave furniture was made of clay and wood to not entice robbers. It’s very big and he had an observation tower built in the imperial park to the North of his palace in Chang’an to view her tomb. He destroyed this tower after an official implied her tomb was more impressive than Emperor Gaozu’s, many people thought it was wasteful for more resources to be devoted to her tomb. These complaints ended once it was shared her tomb would be his too. Along the pathway to the tomb, there are many statues.
Imperial tombs in Tang China, 618-907: the politics of paradise Zhaoling Mausoleum
