Ming Tombs And Sacred
Way
The Ming Tombs lie in Changping County,
about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest from the urban
area of Beijing. It is actually a tomb cluster of the
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), including thirteen emperor's
mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines and one grave
for eunuchs. This cemetery is world famous because of
the thirteen emperors buried here. Sitting at the foot
of Mt. Yan and occupying an area of more than 120 square
kilometers (29,653 acres), it appears extremely spectacular.
It was listed in the World Heritage List in 2003.
Each emperor's tomb was constructed
at the foot of a separate small hill, but they all share
a main road called the Sacred Way. The thirteen emperor's
mausoleums are similar in their architectural style
and overall arrangement, only differing in size and
complexity of their structures. They used to have a
forecourt where memorial ceremonies and sacrifices were
held and a tomb mound at the back. Comparatively speaking,
Changling (Chang Tomb) is the most grand, Yongling (Yong
Tomb) the most delicate and Siling (Si Tomb) the smallest.
Nowadays, the Sacred Way, Changling
(Chang Tomb), Dingling (Ding Tomb) and Zhaoling (Zhao
Tomb) are accessible to visitors.
The Sacred Way is seven kilometers
(4.3 miles) long and leads to Changling (Chang Tomb)
directly. Chang Tomb is the largest and oldest of the
tombs. Construction on the mausoleum began in 1409 and
lasted four years. Buried here are Zhu Di, the third
emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his empress. The forecourt
has three courtyards and all the halls are covered with
yellow glaze tiles on their roofs. The second yard was
built after the Hall of Supreme Harmony?of the Forbidden
City. It is one of the largest wooden buildings in China
and is supported by sixty unpainted poles made of nanmu.
Unearthed objects are on display in this hall. Behind
is a tower called Ming Lou (Bright Tower), the symbol
of Chang Tomb. It connects the burial mound, the circumference
of which reaches approximately one kilometer (0.6 mile).
Dingling (Ding Tomb) is the only one
excavated in this graveyard up till now. Zhu Yijun,
the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty was inhumed
together with his two empresses. Constructed between
1584 and 1590, this mausoleum used to have bridges,
a stele pavilion, halls and towers and annexes on the
ground. Hundreds of years later, only a stone tower,
Bright Tower, survives following several fires. Behind
the tower is the underground palace, 27 meters (88.6
feet) in depth. Visitors may enter via a tunnel. The
stone palace occupies an area of 1,195 square meters
(0.3 acre) and has five halls. Gates of the main halls
are made of white marble, with fine thrones in the central
hall, coffins and burial chests at the rear hall. Some
precious articles excavated are on exhibition like crowns,
ornaments, and utensils.
Built in 1538, Zhaoling (Zhao Tomb)
lies to the southwest of Ding Tomb. It is the mausoleum
of Zhu Zaihou (the twelfth emperor of the Ming Dynasty
and his three empresses. It is the best representation
of a tomb complex because of its fully restored complete
surface structures, consisting of four bridges, a stele
pavilion and halls. At Ling'endian (Hall of Eminent
Favor), offerings and information on this emperor and
his empresses may be seen.
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