The Ming Dynasty Tombs Are A UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Great Wall, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Peking Duck are images brought forth by the name China. These and other images relate to a spectacular Chinese history.

Imperialism forms part of this history with the emperor as ruler of the kingdom. Several dynasties ruled China, from the earliest Qin Dynasty to the last Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was well known.

The Ming Dynasty emperors were great men. They started the large-scale production of porcelain wares and they also extended the Great Wall. With these contributions to society, the Chinese honored them by building their tombs. As part of the itinerary of some Beijing Hotels, the Ming Dynasty Tombs is a nice place for tourists who want to escape the the city.

Located some 50 kilometers north of Beijing, the site for the Ming Dynasty Tombs was chosen by Emperor Yongle, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He was also the one who moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, where he built many famous landmarks and monuments.

The 40-square kilometer area surrounded by mountains in a quiet valley and tranquil water was carefully chosen, following the principles of Feng Shui.

A seven kilometer road, known as the “Spirit Way” (Shen dao) leads into the complex. It is lined with statues of guardian animals and officials, with a front gate consisting of three red arches, called the “Great Red Gate”. The Spirit Way starts with a gigantic stone memorial archway which is considered to be one of the biggest in China.

More interior, you can see the Shengong Shengde Stele Pavilion enclosing a 50-ton tortoise shaped dragon-beast carrying a stone tablet. The traditional designs were beacons to guide the soul of the deceased.

The road will lead you to 18 pairs of larger-than-life stone statues of mythical animals, which are all sculpted from blocks of stones. Finally you arrive at a three-arched gate known as the Dragon and Phoenix Gate.

At present, only the Chang Ling, Ding Ling and Zhao Ling tombs are open to the public. In August of 2003 the tombs were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has resulted in an increased number of tourists visiting them. Many tours are available from Beijing hotels to visit these sites. Be sure to visit these sites while in Beijing to experience this unique phase of China’s history.

The author works closely with the Beijing Hongkun International Hotel and other hotels in Beijing.