Before he was enthroned, Wendi used to be the king of the sub-state Dai, which was to the northeast of Chang’an. Wendi harbored himself for long in Dai in a grim and grave political situation when the Empress Lu (reign 187-180BC) rose to power after her husband Liu Bang died.

It can be deducted, therefore, that Liu Heng gradually developed a passionate feeling towards Dai. At this, he had every cause to opt for Bailuyuan, which overlooked the road leading to Dai, as his afterlife dwelling.

The same was true with Duling. During the late period of the reign of Wudi (reign 141-87BC), a political storm swept the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), leaving thousands of people dead and numerous more imprisoned.

Down and out in the political strife, most family members of Xuandi were killed and buried to the southeast of Chang’an. Later he ascended the throne with the help of some loyal ministers and was honored as Xuandi. In ancient China, it was an established rule to have one’s own tomb built near that of his or her ancestors.

What’s more, Dudongyuan, situated to the south of Chang’an, was also Xuandi’s favorite place when he was alive. Therefore, selecting Dudongyuan as the site of his tomb might largely rest with his personal likes and his feelings about departed kinfolks.

The sequential arrangement

The criteria regulating the sequential arrangement of the nine mausoleums in Xuanyangyuan is still subject to debate.

A lot of scholars once contended that the Zhaomu theory, which set a rule for the sequential arrangement of familial tombs, was the answer.

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