Ming Tombs, Beijing

The Sacred Way inside the gate of the Ming Tomb is lined with 18 pairs of stone human figures and animals. These include four each of three types of officials: civil, military and meritorious officials, symbolizing those who assisted the emperor in the administration of the state, plus four each of six types of animals: lion, griffin, camel, elephant, unicorn and horse. These represent different animals found in the various parts of the Ming Empire.

We visited Ming Tombs after our exhausting morning excursion to the Great Wall.

Ming Tombs is the general name given to mausoleums of the 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. I only got to visit Changling, the tomb of emperor Zhudi and his empresses. On exhibit are golden cups, hairpins with various gemstones, headress with finely woven gold threads and silk robes.

Before approaching the Soul Tower, there was an arch called the Ghost Gate that our tour guide said we should not pass. I don't want to be unlucky so we just went around it. For good views of the mountains and plains of Changping, have your picture taken while on top of the Soul Tower.

Underground Dingling Palace requires another 200 yuan and might be too musty for me to visit.

Ming Tombs Valley and the Spiritual Road (photos in, details later, 2002-June-24)

UNESCO World Heritage report on Ming and Qing dynasties tombs:
http://whc.unesco.org/sites/1004bis.htm

More later

In the northwestern suburbs of Beijing are tombs of most emperors of the Ming dynasty, who ruled in China from 1368 to 1644. The tombs are approached by a long Avenue of statuesq Animals, lined with marble lions, elephants, camels, and horses. Northwest of the Ming Tombs, within the municipal boundaries, is a portion of the Great Wall.

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50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest from Beijing lies the Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. The site was chosen by the third Ming Dynasty emperor Yongle (1402–1424), who moved the capital of China from Nanjing to the present location of Beijing. He is credited with envisioning the layout of the ancient city of Beijing as well as a number of landmarks and monuments located therein. After the construction of the Imperial Palace (the Forbidden City) in 1420, the Yongle Emperor selected his burial site and created his own mausoleum. Only the Changling and Dingling tombs are open to the public.

I visited the main tomb of Changling as part of a tour which also included the Great Wall of China at Badaling for RMB130 that my hotel (a Home Inn - see my accommodation tips) had at their reception. This also included lunch, transport, a visit to a duck factory shop and a jade factory shop and a tour guide (although it was in Chinese with other Chinese tourists). More of the Ming Tomb at Changling can be found on my Changling page below:

Open: 8.30am-5.30pm. Admission: RMB45.

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Las Tumbas Ming, llamadas en chino "las Trece Tumbas", ocupan todo un valle, ya que según las reglas del fengshui (geomancia china) deberían de construirse entre un río y una montaña
El Camino Sagrado que nos lleva hasta las tumbas Ming , tiene más de siete kilómetros de largo , aunque los más interesantes son los primeros 700 metros que empiezan en la Gran Puerta Roja , de tres arcos y que el emperador era el único que podía cruzar por el central .
A partir de aquí en una avenida flanqueada por sauces llorones , se encuentran 12 pares de esculturas de animales reales y míticos, realizadas en mármol en el siglo XVI, así como 6 pares de esculturas de funcionarios, militares, civiles y letrados, que finalizan en la Puerta del Dragón y el Fénix

The Ming Tombs , called in Chinese " The Thirteen Tombs", are located in a valley , because according the the "fengshui" rules ( Chinese geomantics ) they should be built between a river and a mountain
The Sacred Way, which leads to the Ming tombs, has more than seven kilometers long, but the most interesting part are the first 700 meters , starting at the Great Red Door , with three arches and the Emperor was the only one who could cross the central arch .
From here on a main road flanked by weeping willows, there are 12 pairs of sculptures of animals real and mythical, marble-made in the sixteenth century, as well as 6 pairs of sculptures of officials, militars and civilian lawyers, who finished in the Dragon and Phoenix Gate

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Los 12 pares de esculturas de animales reales y míticos se distribuyen a ambos lados del camino dos en actitud de estar en acción , de pie y dos en estado de reposo , postradas/tumbadas .
Los animales protegerán a los emperadores en el otro mundo
Animales reales :
- León
- Elefante
- Camello
- Caballo
Animales míticos :
- Xiezhi : Es una cabra divina que después de ver una pelea alza su cuerno para tocar al malo y es tan justo que no se desvía de sus principios ni ante el emperador
- Quilin : tiene cuerpo de león, piel de pez y cuernos de ciervo y es un buen presagio que trae prosperidad



The 12 pairs of sculptures of real and mythical animals are distributed on both sides of the road two in attitude to be in action, standing and two in resting position , crouch or prone .
This animals protect the emperors in the other world
Real Animals :
-- Lion
-- Elephant
-- Camel
-- Horse
Mythical Animals :
-- Xiezhi : It is a divine goat that after seeing a fight hike his horn to touch the bad and it is so fair that does not deviate from their principles even in front of the emperor
-- Quilin: It has body lion, fish skin and horns of deer and is a good omen that brings prosperity

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En el pabellón de la estela hay una estela del emperador Yongle de 9 metros de altura en la que se describe la construcción de las trece tumbas .
La estela está sobre un animal que tiene cuerpo de tortuga y cabeza de dragón que se llama "Bixi"
Dicen que da buena suerte tocarle la cabeza


In the pavilion there is an Stelle of Emperor Yongle of 9 meters on which describes the construction of the thirteen tombs.
The stele is on an animal that has turtle body and dragon head and is is called "Bixi"
They say that is a good luck sign to touch his head