Making modern connections through ancient tombs

Huang clearly remembers almost every tomb visit and has experienced many memorable moments along the way. In January 2025, when she visited the Mao Mausoleum of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) in Xingping, Shaanxi province, she encountered an intense snowfall that whitened the vast landscape, evoking the weight of history.

Walking in the whiteout snow, Huang felt deeply shocked, touched, and connected. "No matter how great something or someone may have been in the past, they will eventually be buried in history's dust," she says.

"I used to be a very competitive person, which left me exhausted and stressed. But during tomb visits, when I place my everyday trivial worries and frustrations within the vast context of history, they become tiny. Such experiences help me let go, broaden my perspective, and alleviate my stress," she adds.

Zhang Qiwen, a 29-year-old freelancer living in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, shares similar sentiments. She has been a history buff since middle school and enjoys reading historical biographies. She began traveling across the nation to visit their tombs, which she considers the best way to form a close connection to historical figures.