Visit the Ming Tombs and experience the successes and failures of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty

The Ming Tombs are a group of royal tombs located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing. Thirteen imperial tombs, seven concubine tombs, and one eunuch tomb were built here, burying thirteen emperors, twenty-three queens, two princes, more than thirty concubines, and two eunuchs. This is a site full of history and culture, and an important place to understand the life and culture of ancient Chinese royalty. The Ming Tombs have opened the Changling, Dingling, Zhaoling, and Sacred Way attractions. Among them, Changling is located at the foot of the main peak of Tianshou Mountain. It is the joint burial tomb of the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di (Yongle era) and Empress Xu. It is the most magnificent and earliest built among the thirteen tombs, and the ground buildings are also well preserved. It is the ancestral tomb of the thirteen tombs and one of the main tourist spots in the tomb area. Dingling is located at the foot of Dayu Mountain, southwest of Changling. It is the tomb of the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Shenzong Zhu Yijun (Wanli era), and also buries his two queens. The main buildings include the Gate of Favor, the Hall of Favor, the Treasure City, the Ming Tower, and the underground palace, etc. It is the only tomb in the thirteen tombs that has been excavated. Its underground palace is open to tourists. Zhaoling is the tomb of the twelfth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yujian, and the Sacred Way is the road connecting the tombs. There are many routes to the Ming Tombs, and the most convenient way is to take the subway. Get off at the Thirteen Tombs Scenic Area station on the Changping Line, and then walk or take a taxi to each attraction. If you choose to take a taxi or walk, it takes about 5 minutes by taxi and about 15 minutes on foot. Among the Ming Tombs, only Dingling is currently open, and the other tombs are not open. Moreover, only a part of the tomb chamber of Dingling is open, and the bustling scene of crowds is unforgettable. The recommended tour route is: Changling-Dingling-Sacred Way, you can also visit Zhaoling in the middle, but I personally think it is unnecessary, because other attractions are similar to Changling and Dingling. Take a bus on the side of the Sacred Way, many buses will go to Changling.