Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIGHTS
CHÁNG LÍNG
OFFLINE MAP
( admission ¥45, audio guide ¥50)
The resting place of the first of the 13 emperors to be buried at
the Ming Tombs, Cháng Líng contains the body of Emperor Yongle (1402-24), his wife
and 16 concubines, and is the largest, most impressive and most important of the tombs
here. Like all the tombs, it follows a standard imperial layout, a main gate (
lín'ēn mén
)
leading to the first of a series of courtyards and the main hall (
líng'ēn diàn
).
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Beyond this lie gates leading to the Soul Tower ( Míng Lóu), behind which rises the
burial mound surrounded by a fortified wall (
bǎo chéng
). Seated upon a three-tiered
marble terrace, the standout structure in this complex is the Hall of Eminent Favours (
Líng'ēn Diàn), containing a recent statue of Yongle, various artefacts excavated from Dìng
Líng, and a breathtaking interior with vast
nánmù
(cedar wood) columns. As with all three
tombs here, you can climb the Soul Tower at the back of the complex for views of the sur-
rounding hills.
DÌNG LÍNG
OFFLINE MAP
( admission incl museum ¥65, audio guide ¥50)
Dìng Líng, the resting place of Emperor Wanli
(1572-1620) and his wife and concubines, is at first sight less impressive than Cháng Líng
because many of the halls and gateways have been destroyed. Many of the priceless arte-
facts were ruined after being left in a huge, unsealed storage room that leaked water. The
treasures that were left - including the bodies of Emperor Wanli and his entourage - were
looted and burned by Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution.
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This is the only tomb where you can climb down into the vast burial chambers. Learn
from signs around the tomb how archaeologists found their way in, following instructions
they found on a carved tablet.
The small Museum of the Ming Tombs
( Míng Shísānlíng Bówùguǎn; admission with Dìng Líng ticket)
,
just inside the Dìng Líng complex, contains a few precious remaining artefacts, plus rep-
licas of destroyed originals.
ZHĀO LÍNG
OFFLINE MAP
( admission ¥35)
With the same layout as the other two tombs, Zhāo Líng is the smallest, and
many of its buildings are recent rebuilds. It's less visited than the others, so is more peace-
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