English
There were a total of sixteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty and thirteen of them are buried in a sanctuary only 50 kilometers from Beijing. It occupies a vast territory of more than forty acres, although only three are open to the public, and its spectacular beauty makes it worth visiting.
Ming Dynasty
From 1368 until 1644 these emperors of Huan ethnicity ruled the vast empire of China after overthrowing the Mongolian enemy. Under their leadership, the entire country prospered to such a degree that the Ming dynasty is considered one of the best in history. And this takes not only the economy into account, but also the social development, communications, and international exchanges as well as the arts and letters.
For posterity, the Ming Dynasty left the Forbidden City, wonderful pottery, advances in art of calligraphy, and the Great Wall. That alone earns them a place in the annals of culture.
Chinese Tombs
The emperors of ancient China were considered children of the sun and therefore representatives of divinity on earth. This is why they were buried in palace-like mausoleums with all the protocol of a royal residence. Wives, concubines, servants, furnishings, clothes, jewelry and even food were placed there with the emperor to accompany him in the afterlife.
Each of the Ming Emperors had its own palace, located a certain distance from the others. They are enclosed by a beautiful wooded park. And the sites are accessed by what is called the Sacred Way which features 16th-century marble sculptures in remembrance of famous people from Chinese life. After going down this, you’ll arrive at the Avenue of the Animals with symbolic representations from mythology: turtle, elephant, dragon or lion.
The tombs are made following palatial aesthetics and each is divided into three zones. In the first, there is a small temple dedicated to the sacrifices, the second holds the stelae and the tomb itself, the third is usually underground.
Practical information
Since the tombs are spaced a good distance apart from one another, you’re likely only to visit one unless you have boundless energy. You should also realize that each tomb charges an admission fee.
The Dingling tomb has been excavated and presents the entire tomb complex. It is open daily from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. It is so vast that simply walking straight from the entrance to the funereal palace takes 15 minutes.
The Changling tomb was the resting place of the third Ming Emperor Ming and his wife. It might be the biggest but it the restoration work and excavation are not yet finished. It took 15 years to build. It is the most accessible, but closes half an hour before the Dingling tomb.
The third, Zhaoling, is less spectacular and attracts a smaller crowd of visitors. Please note that these places are considered sanctuaries for the local population, which means that on weekends and holidays they are full of Beijing citizens.
It´s difficult to find accommodations near the tombs, so it´s best to use apartments in Beijing as your home base. The tombs are only about an hour from the capital.
