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Ming Tombs Travel Guide
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- Updated:
- Oct. 15, 2009;
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- China Highlights;
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When compared to the imperial tombs of other dynasties, the 13 Ming tombs stand out because of the following eye-catching features.
Firstly, the vast tomb area constitutes a harmonious whole, which is unique in the history of imperial tombs. The Warring State Period (500BC c.-221BC) saw the beginning of Chinese imperial tombs. Layouts were derived from the patriarchal clan system and subject to the ranks of the buried. Each imperial tomb varied in layout and size depending on the social environment and the age they belong to.
In the Tang and North Song Dynasties, for instance, each tomb had its own gate, sacred way and stone sculptures. Even though they are built within the same area, each tomb is independent from others architecturally speaking. The Ming Tomb is a different case. Although each has its own hall, Soul Tower, City of Treasures, and forms an individual unit, the sacred Way, marble archway, and stone statues of Chang Ling (Ling means Tomb), the first tomb among the 13, are shared by all the tombs. The other tombs are spread on both sides of the Sacred Way, thus being linked together as an organic whole.
Secondly, the tombs' architecture above the ground is unique. In ancient China, from the dynasties of Qin and Han to Tang, the above ground architecture of the imperial tombs all took the tomb mound as their center. In front of the tomb mound there stood the sacrificial hall, and the whole tomb area was enclosed by a wall with a gate at each of the four points of the compass. The whole tomb area thus resembled a huge rectangular siheyuan (a traditional four-sided family dwelling with a courtyard in the middle). Since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, changed the old layout and introduced some changes for his own tomb. The front wall of the tomb area remained unchanged, but the rear portion of the wall became a semi-circle. The soul tower and the sacrificial hall were built on the central axis of the tomb zone. And the old straight sacred way became crooked.
In general , the 13 Ming Tombs in Beijing basically followed the model of the Xiao Ling (the tomb of the first Ming Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, in Nanjing) with a few slight differences. For instance, the setting of the gravestone inside the soul tower emphasized its function as a landmark for the whole tomb area.
Along the sacred way of Chang Ling, there is the Zhaoyu gate, the Pavilion for the Stele of Sacred Imperial Prowess, the huge stone sculptures, and the gate of the Dragon and Phoenix, which is consistent with the layout of Xiao Ling. However, the addition of the stone archway before the Zhaoyu gate and the addition of the statues of officials who had rendered outstanding support for the sculptures were new. The Ming tomb cells are also different from others. In the Tang Dynasty, the imperial tomb cell was dug inside a mountain, while the Ming tombs were palatial underground caverns decorated with enamel structures.
Thirdly, the natural environment around the Ming Tombs is tranquil, beautiful and spectacular. Selecting the location of an ancient Chinese imperial tomb was always affected by Feng-shui. The Ming Tomb was no exception. A famous Feng-shui expert called Liao Junqing from Jiangxi Province helped the emperor to decide the place to build the tombs. Liao Junqing’s method prevailed in Jiangxi, and stressed the interaction and match between the dragon (a Feng-shui object symbolizing activity and the masculine energy known as "Yang", often placed on the east of a property), the tomb cell, stone and the water. The mountain where the tombs were built was renamed Tianshou (Heavenly Longevity) by the Ming emperor. The winding Tianshou Mountain ridges linked to each other create a horseshoe shape opening to the south. The first of the 13 Ming tombs was built at the foot of this mountain. All the other Ming tombs all have a high mountain behind as a backing and a brook snaking its way past the front. On either side of these tombs, there are mountains as well. The special environment of the Ming tombs is obviously more beautiful than that of imperial tombs built on vast plains.
The Beijing municipal government has invested 170 million yuan on the preservation of the Ming Tombs. According to Vice Director Nie Youyi of the Ming Tomb Administration Office, the refurbishment project of De Ling with an investment of 38 million yuan is drawing to its end. This year, the restoration of Kang Ling and Qing Ling will be launched. It is estimated that by 2008 about 400 million yuan will have been invested to repair the 7 most needy Ming Tombs.
Most of the 13 Tombs are preserved according to their original look. The soul tower is a good example. The soul tower of Si Ling was the only one to be destroyed before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and the soul tower of Zhao Ling was rebuilt in 1956. The rest still stand there. Of the 13 only Ding Ling was excavated in 1956. Everything unearthed is now under strict protection.
All of the tombs have the Sacred Way in the front. Along the Sacred Way of Chang Ling stand an imposing stone archway, known as the Big Red Gate, the Pavilion of the Stele of the Sacred Imperial Prowess, dozens of stone sculptures and the Gate of the Dragon and the Phoenix. The Big Red Gate, the Pavilion of the Stele of the Sacred Imperial Prowess, and the Gate of the Dragon and the Phoenix underwent restoration after the founding of the People's Republic of China, while the rest remain unchanged. As for other tombs, most of the Pavilions of the Stele of the Sacred Imperial Prowess were brought down during the Qing Dynasty and only fragments of some steles and stone bridges remain until today. Most of the cypress and pine trees along the sacred way were also felled during the Qing Dynasty. Many of the annexes such as Shenggongjian (the Sacred Palace Office) became villages in the Qing Dynasty. Many of the concubines and eunuchs' tombs became agricultural fields later and so did many other structures annexed to the tombs.
Overall, the Ming Tombs have seen 600 years of history spanning three periods: the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. Although most of the structures, especially those above ground level suffered natural and human degradation, the entire layout and the underground palaces are perfectly preserved. Besides, the natural environment around the tombs is still as gorgeous as before. In the vast tomb area, tourists normally visit two of the 13: the most imposing and largest, Chang Ling, and the underground palace of Ding Ling, the only excavated Ming Imperial Tomb so far.
