The Ming Tombs: a World Heritage Site

 

A couple hours towards the northwest of Beijing City lies the mausoleums of thirteen Ming dynasty Emperors. Referred to as the Ming Tombs these historical structures have been flawlessly preserved and serve as excellent examples of Chinese palatial architecture and culture. It is said that the site of the mausoleum wee chose n by Ming dynasty emperor Yongle, who was also instrumental in moving the capital of China from Nanjing to Beijing.

 

The site of the tombs was carefully chosen according to Chinese Feng Shui principles. This is why an arc shaped sheltered area at the foot of the Jundu Mountains was chosen as it deflected the evil spirits of the North Wind. Following the burial of Emperor Yongle twelve others where subsequently buried here, though their tombs bear the same architectural style and geometrical design they differ in their proportions and decorative features.

 

However, of the thirteen tombs only two are open to the public today, known as the Changling and Dingling tombs. Of these the Changling tomb is the largest and covers an area of almost 2,000 square meters. The tomb holds the remains of Emperor Zhudi and is one of the most interesting Ming dynasty buildings in China. The tomb is supported by 32 large posts some of which measure up to 14 meters in height. The ceiling of the tomb is colorfully painted and features traditional Chinese inscriptions and drawings, the floor of the tomb is covered by gold bricks.

 

The smaller Dingling tomb is built underground at depth of about 30 meters. The important sections of this tomb are the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower, Baocheng and the Underground Palace. The later section was only found and excavated in the 50’s and is constructed completely from stone. The entire Ming Tomb enclosure was recently declared a UNESCO World heritage site making it a tourist attraction among visitors in many a Beijing hotel. Being a rapidly expanding city with a vibrant tourism sector a luxury hotel in Beijing would not be difficult to find for tourists wishing to visit the Ming dynasty tombs.

Forbidden City of Beijing – A Magical And Overwhelming Place

By: Marc D. Jong

The Forbidden City in Beijing is no longer forbidden territory anymore. And we should be grateful for that. Why? If you have had the honor to visit this extraordinary place, you will understand.

This stunning complex of imperial buildings, right in the heart of the Chinese capital, is one of the most magical sights in the world. It’s so overwhelming that once you’ve been there, you’ll keep talking about it whenever you have the opportunity.

Let’s look at some facts.

The Forbidden City is the former palace of Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was planned and built from 1407 to 1420, and for its design and layout principles of Feng Shui were used. An estimated 200,000 workers helped to construct it.

The numbers explain why so many people were needed: there are 800 buildings with a total of 8,886 rooms. The word ‘city’ is not misused as it measures 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west.

A 52-meter wide moat (6 meters deep) and an 8-meter high wall around the complex kept intruders (and ordinary people!) away until the fall of the Empire in 1912.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the buildings are used as a museum.

Again, the numbers are impressive. The Palace Museum holds no less than 340,000 pieces of ceramics and porcelain as well as 50,000 items of paintings. I regret to say that once you’re there, you won’t have time to see everything, but even a quick review can make you speechless.

The sheer size of the complex is impressive, but a problem at the same time. How can you make the most out of your visit?

If you go there on a guided tour, the guide will likely follow the middle path to save time. In two hours time you’ll see the most important parts of the city, but since there’s so much to pay attention to, you will hardly have time to stop.

If you go there alone, use a full day and come early. Don’t plan to visit any other sights on that day, just the Forbidden City. If you take your time and enjoy what you see, you can spend half a day and still only see half of it.

Another good idea is renting the audio guide at the entrance.

Don’t be intimidated by the crowd at the entrance. Yes, it’s very touristy and it can take a while before you are in, but once people have got their ticket the crowd splits up in several groups.

Take a rest in the imperial gardens. Jingshan Park, with an artifical hill, is the most famous. You’ll feel an emperor for a second when you sit there!

Finally, if you want to get into the mood, you could watch The Last Emperor, the first Hollywood movie for which the government of China allowed to film inside the complex.