The Ming Tombs
There were 14 emperors during the Ming Dynasty. All but one of the Ming emperors are buried here. The missing emperor is buried outside Nanjing. Most of the outside statuary and buildings surrounding the tomb in Nanjing were destroyed during the wars and revolutions of this century. The thirteen Ming tombs outside Beijing have been better preserved, benefitting from their remote location. Only the Ding tomb of Emperor Wan Li (Zhu Yijun) and his wife and a concubine (a rarity - as she bore him the first male heir) is open to the public.
The tomb was built below ground in a great vaulted brickwork cavern. The story is that the workmen repeatedly set fire to the timber tomb which had been originally planned to put off the day of completion once the rumor spread that they would be interred in the tomb when they finished. A good plan, but then the designs where changed to use stone. The vault must be at least thirty feet high and supports a rather large hill on its roof. You enter from the top and descended 57 meters (about six full flights) to the bottom. The return trip is only 32 meters (about 2 1/2 flights). A pleasant surprise provided by the archaeologists.
While the tombs are impressive, the real attraction is outside. There are wonderful gardens of recent vintage and a feeling of being inside the hills of China. There are pagodas on the top of distant hills remind you that you are in China. They are placed for prayer, contemplation, and remove from the life of the ordinary.
When a Ming emperor died, it was the death of a Son of Heaven. To provide a proper setting for the entombment, a concourse was built to be used only for the funeral processions leading to the hills in which the tombs were built. Great stone beasts, such as turtles, and figures of ministers and warriors lined the path on either side. Their brooding presence gave stiff attention to the event. The gate at the end marked the passage to another life and the assumption of the Mandate to Rule by the new emperor. The Sacred Way is about 4 miles, measured from the gate to the entrance of the central tomb.
Links of interest:
Beijing Travel Association: The 13 Ming Tombs