Ancient Chinese Empress Remembered

More than 10,000 overseas and domestic tourists Friday visited Qianling, the tomb of Wu Zetian, the famous empress of ancient China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) who remained in power for 50 years.

Today is the traditional Chinese Double Ninth Festival (9th day of the 9th lunar month). Wu Zetian was enthroned as China's first empress on that day in 690.

Exhibited in the tomb area are many huge stone sculptures and cultural relics, as well as more than 40,000 pots containing colorful chrysanthemums.

Wu was buried with her husband in a site about 80 kilometers northwest of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The large and well-preserved tomb has become a tourist attraction in China.



People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/