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The Ming Tombs are where some of the great emperors and leaders of China are buried. It is the most widely used name by the mausoleums of the emperors in the era of the Ming Dynasty. Over the years, natural and man-made calamities have destroyed and devastated the richness of the burial grounds where the people of China can honor their leaders.
Due to its long historical architecture, the Ming Tombs are known to have a high value rich in culture and history. The arrangement and layout of the mausoleums almost look the same but have different sizes and structures. The most magnificent of the tombs is the Changling tomb; it belonged to the Emperor Zhu Di and all his empresses. The remaining twelve emperors who succeeded Emperor Zhu built their tombs around the Changling tomb. At present, only 3 of the Ming Tombs have been restored. These are the Chang Ling, Zhao Ling and the Ding Ling tombs and only the Ding Ling tomb has been fully excavated. Chang Ling, the chief tomb of the Ming Tombs is still preserved up till date. The total internal area of the main building is about 1956 sqm with 32 massive posts measuring about 14m high. The tomb of Chang Ling has a yard in its building called the Lingsi palace which is one of the most distinct palaces in the Ming Tombs. It is a big palace made out of camphor wood. Compared to ChangLing tomb, Dingling tomb is about 27m deep underground and belongs to Emperor Zhu Yijun and his empresses. The main highlight of the palaces which were unearthed in the mid 1950's were the Stone Bridge, Baocheng, Soul Tower, and the Underground Place. The Soul Tower is the emblem of the Dingling tomb as it paves way to the entrance to the underground chambers. There are three stone doors at the entrance of the tomb leading it into three Halls all of which have five high different palaces. The front Hall which is the square of the Palace has no building inside it. It has no special sculpture or artwork on both sides, however, there are white marble coffin beds located in the center. These coffins are covered with gold bricks with square holes filled with loess; this is commonly known as the “Gold Well”. Upon approaching the Ming Tombs, one will definitely notice the shen dao or the spirit way. The entrance to the valley has gates that look very much like those in the Forbidden City. The Gate of the Tomb, the Gate of Eminent Favor and the Lingxing Gate were all built to have the same structures.
With the paths slightly curved, it is believed that these pathways were built this way in order to trick evil spirits. The walls that lined the path are covered with willows and full of carved human figures and carved stone animals. The sculptures are what are considered to be among the best in China with different species of animals portraits on the walls. It is said that the craftsmanship used in the Ming Tombs are way superior to those found in the Qing Tombs. With the experience many people have had in the Ming Tombs, it is not often included in the tour itinerary of China. The main reason for this is that the restored tombs are usually overcrowded making the place uninspiring and humid. However, visitors suffering from heart complications are advised to consult their tour guides before visiting the Ming Tombs. |
