01Historic Walk
Maoling Museum
茂陵博物馆
All Ages
Admission
CNY 75 (Mar-Nov); CNY 55 (Dec-end Feb).
Typical Visit
1.5-2 hours
Quick Facts
Ticket
Included with Qianling admission: peak season (Mar-Nov) CNY 100; low season (Dec-Feb) CNY 80.
Hours
Peak season (Mar-Nov): 08:00-18:00; low season (Dec-Feb): 08:30-17:30.
Transport
No direct metro. From Xi'an North Railway Station, take high-speed rail to Qianxian Station, then Qianxian Bus 1 or 2, or a taxi, to Qianling Scenic Area Visitor Center.
Duration
A short stop within the main-mausoleum Sacred Way route.
Best Time
The Sacred Way is exposed in summer.
Visitors
All ages
How to Visit
1
Enter the main-mausoleum stone-carving area with a Qianling main ticket.
The Wordless Stele is on the Sacred Way outside the Vermilion Bird Gate. The Qianling main ticket is CNY 100 in peak season and CNY 80 in low season.
Tip:It is not a separately ticketed attraction that can be entered from outside the scenic area. Do not skip the main-ticket process at the visitor center just because you only want to see the stele.
2
Locate the Wordless Stele together with the adjacent Shushengji Stele.
View the two stelae as a pair: the Wordless Stele has no formal Tang-period inscription, while the Shushengji Stele praises Emperor Gaozong.
Tip:Do not leave after looking only at the front of the Wordless Stele. Seeing both monuments together explains their relationship on the Sacred Way.
3
Look closely at the ruled grid on the stele and the later inscriptions, then continue along the stone-carving route.
The Wordless Stele is not a completely blank surface: its Tang-period writing grid and later inscriptions can both be seen.
Tip:The marks and writing on the stele cannot be reduced to one single legend. Treating it as a physical monument is more useful than trying to settle the reason for its wordlessness.
Highlights
- The Wordless Stele is one of the most recognisable monuments on Qianling's main Sacred Way.
- It retains a Tang-period grid prepared for writing, but no formal Tang-period inscription.
- Later inscriptions are visible on its surface, so it is not an entirely blank stone.
- It stands beside the Shushengji Stele, creating a direct contrast between an uninscribed and an inscribed monument.
- It belongs to Qianling's larger group of ground-level carvings and is best understood with the Sacred Way and Vermilion Bird Gate.
Insider Tips
✦Do not allocate a separate long stop to the Wordless Stele; it is more efficient to visit it continuously with the Shushengji Stele and nearby Sacred Way carvings.
✦This is an outdoor walking stop. Sun protection makes it more comfortable to pause and examine the surface details in strong light.
✦The stele has no separate ticket price or transport service; calculate costs using the Qianling main ticket and, if needed, the scenic shuttle.
✦Do not mistake the later visitor inscriptions on the stone for a formal inscription from Wu Zetian's period.
More Xianyang Attractions
02City Guide
Maoling Mausoleum of Emperor Wu
汉武帝茂陵
All Ages
Admission
CNY 75 (Mar-Nov); CNY 55 (Dec-end Feb). Covered by the Maoling Scenic Area ticket.
Typical Visit
45-60 minutes
03Historic Walk
Tomb of Huo Qubing
霍去病墓
All Ages
Admission
CNY 75 (Mar-Nov); CNY 55 (Dec-end Feb). Included within the Maoling Museum grounds.
Typical Visit
45-75 minutes
04City Guide
Xianyang Ancient Ferry Covered Bridge
咸阳古渡廊桥
All Ages
Admission
Free pedestrian access
Typical Visit
Short walk
05City Guide
Han Yangling National Archaeological Site Park
汉阳陵国家考古遗址公园
All Ages
Admission
Mar-Nov: CNY 70; Dec-Feb: CNY 55; students half price.
Typical Visit
1.5-3 hours
06Food District
Mawei Post Folk Culture Experience Park
马嵬驿民俗文化体验园
All Ages
Admission
Free public area
Typical Visit
Half day