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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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