A Sacred Resting Place Beset by Flames

The Jingling Mausoleum, final resting place of the great Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722), stands as one of the most significant architectural complexes in the Eastern Qing Tombs. As the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty and one of China’s longest-reigning rulers, Kangxi presided over an era of territorial expansion, cultural flourishing, and administrative reform. Yet his mausoleum has become infamous not for its grandeur, but for a series of inexplicable fires that have plagued the site across three separate centuries. These mysterious blazes—each occurring under bizarre circumstances—have consumed critical structures, baffled investigators, and fueled centuries of speculation.

The First Fire: The “Phantom Blaze” of 1905

### A Devastating Loss in the Hall of Eminent Favor

On February 20, 1905 (Guangxu 31), the first recorded fire erupted in Jingling’s Long’en Hall (Hall of Eminent Favor), the mausoleum’s primary ceremonial structure. The five-bay-wide, three-bay-deep hall—adorned with intricate carvings and painted beams—was reduced to ashes. Of particular concern was the destruction of the sacred spirit tablets housed within, objects of immense ritual significance in Qing ancestor veneration.

### Unusual Characteristics of the Blaze

The fire exhibited two highly unusual traits that defied conventional explanations:

1. Seasonal Anomaly: Traditional Chinese architecture, lacking lightning rods, often fell victim to summer thunderstorms. Yet this fire occurred in February—a time when northern China experiences no thunderstorms, eliminating lightning as a possible cause.
2. Origin Point: Fires typically ignite from ground-level sources (candles, incense, electrical faults). Witnesses reported flames erupting suddenly from the roof eaves, a phenomenon without precedent in imperial mausoleum records.

### Investigations and Speculations

Empress Dowager Cixi, alarmed by the sacrilegious incident, dispatched two high-ranking officials—Zhao Erxun (a civilian administrator) and Tieliang (a military officer)—to investigate. Their interrogations of terrified tomb guards yielded no clear answers, though rumors swirled about possible guard involvement. Some speculated that guards, having stolen ritual bronzes from the hall, set the fire to conceal their theft.

Facing political pressure and lacking evidence, the investigators concluded the blaze was an inexplicable “phantom fire”—a verdict that did little to quell public unease about divine displeasure or dynastic decline.

The Second Fire: The “Coffin Flame” of 1945

### Tomb Raiders Meet Supernatural Resistance

In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, Jingling fell victim to organized looting. In 1945, grave robbers broke into Kangxi’s burial chamber, seeking treasures rumored to accompany the emperor into eternity. Their attempts to open the primary coffin took a terrifying turn:

– First Attempt: Using axes, two men failed to breach the lacquered nanmu wood. Switching to a saw, they nearly succeeded—until a fireball erupted from the coffin, burning their faces and clothing.
– Second Attempt: Undeterred, the robbers resumed chopping, only for flames to burst forth again with greater intensity.

### Scientific Theories vs. Folk Beliefs

While modern scholars suggest spontaneous combustion of volatile burial materials (such as mercury or phosphorus compounds used in preservation), no definitive explanation exists. Contemporary accounts interpreted the flames as either:
– A supernatural defense mechanism (echoing legends of “tomb guardian fire”)
– An ancient anti-theft mechanism using combustible chemicals

Ultimately, the flames failed to deter the looters, who absconded with priceless artifacts, leaving Kangxi’s remains desecrated—a tragic fate for the emperor who had stabilized Qing rule.

The Third Fire: The Lightning Strike of 1952

### The Destruction of the Stele Pavilion

On July 14, 1952, lightning struck Jingling’s monumental Stele Pavilion during a summer storm. The resulting fire consumed both the structure and its irreplaceable steles, which held unique historical significance:

1. Imperial Calligraphy: The pavilion housed steles inscribed by Kangxi’s son, the Yongzheng Emperor—the first instance of a Qing ruler personally writing a parent’s funerary text (4,300 characters).
2. Imperial Seal: Yongzheng broke protocol by adding his personal seal (“Treasure of Reverent Devotion”), a gesture emphasizing filial piety.
3. Dual Steles: Due to Kangxi’s lengthy reign (61 years), his achievements required two steles—one in Manchu, one in Chinese—another Qing first.

### Cultural Loss and Historical Irony

The pavilion’s destruction erased physical evidence of Kangxi’s legacy, compounding earlier losses. Historians note the tragic irony: had Kangxi followed his father Shunzhi’s practice of cremation (avoiding bodily interment), his remains might have escaped posthumous violation.

Legacy and Modern Reflections

### Preservation Challenges

Jingling’s fires underscore vulnerabilities in heritage conservation:
– Pre-modern Risks: Lack of lightning protection and firefighting infrastructure in imperial-era designs.
– 20th-Century Turmoil: Wartime looting and mid-century neglect exacerbated preservation crises.

### Symbolic Interpretations

Some scholars view the fires metaphorically:
– The 1905 blaze foreshadowed the Qing collapse (1911).
– The 1945 violation mirrored China’s wartime fragmentation.
– The 1952 lightning strike coincided with early PRC campaigns reevaluating imperial history.

### Tourism and Archaeology

Today, Jingling’s fire-scarred ruins serve as both a tourist attraction and a cautionary tale about preserving cultural memory. Ongoing archaeological work continues to reveal secrets of Kangxi’s era, even as the mausoleum’s turbulent history reminds us of time’s relentless passage.

In death as in life, Kangxi’s story remains etched not just in stone, but in flames—a reminder that no empire, no matter how mighty, escapes the transformative power of history.