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- Tourist Objects
- China
- Shunyi
- Tombs of the Ming Dynasty Emperors (Shisanling)
The tombs of the Ming Dynasty Emperors (Shisanling) are located 50 km northwest of Beijing, in the suburb of Changping, at the foot of the Tien Shou Mountain. On an area of about 80 square kilometers, 13 tombs of the emperors of the Chinese Ming Dynasty are located. The construction of the Ming royal tombs was begun in 1409 when Emperor Zhu Di (better known as Yunle) chose this site to build his mausoleum. Over the next 230 years, 12 imperial mausoleums and 7 tombs for imperial concubines and eunuchs were built here. The complex is fenced off from the eyes of "mere mortals" by a high stone wall. All burial mounds have a circular pyramidal shape, differ from each other only in size. So, the diameter of the funeral hill of Emperor Yongle (one of the most powerful emperors of the Ming dynasty) is 310 meters, the mound’s circumference is about a kilometer. The imperial tombs have a similar structure - a long road leading to the main complex, walled, a courtyard with pavilions for funeral ceremonies and sacrifices. Of the 13 imperial mausoleums, archaeologists have unearthed only the tomb of Emperor Wanli - the Dinlin Mausoleum. Excavations were carried out in 1956, during which an underground palace was discovered, consisting of five halls with giant marble arches, sarcophagi with the remains of the emperor and his wives, treasures of the imperial treasury and ritual objects (gold and jade items, a gold crown decorated with precious stones) were found , hats, jugs and vessels, porcelain vases, bowls, richly embroidered clothes, incense burners, candlesticks and much more). Only three tombs are open for visiting - Changlin, Zhaolin and Dinlin, in the underground palace you can visit only Dinlin. All other tombs are closed to visitors, archaeological work in the necropolis is stopped. The sacred path with a length of 7 kilometers (the main road of Shisanling) begins from the memorial arch of white marble, built in 1540. Its height is 12 meters, its width is 29 meters, the arch is decorated with bas-reliefs with images of dragons, lions and lotus flowers. At a distance of about a kilometer from the arch are the Great Red Gate - the main entrance to the cemetery. Through these gates, emperors and their wives followed the afterlife, a funeral procession passed, and treasures were transported, which the late rulers "took with them" to another world. Behind the gate, at a distance of 500 meters, is the Pavilion of Divine Merit, built in 1435. A 7.9-meter stele was installed inside the pavilion with a list of merits of Emperor Yunle knocked out on the pediment (it took about 3,000 words to list his achievements). An alley with a length of 800 meters was laid from the pavilion, with statues of animals, mythical creatures, officials, officers and ministers installed on both sides, distinguished themselves at the imperial court. Animal statues are set in pairs, opposite each other, while one figure is standing, the second is sitting. The sacred path (Path of Spirits) ends at the Heavenly Gate, on both sides of which statues of phoenixes and dragons are installed, symbolizing power, strength and nobility. The tombs of the Ming Dynasty Emperors in Changping were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003 as part of the "Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasty Emperors".
