The Ming Tombs

The Ming Tombs are the leading tombs among the Ming Dynasty's thirteen tombs, serving as the joint burial site for Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di and Empress Xu. Located on the southern foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing, they were constructed in the seventh year of the Yongle era (1409). The tomb complex covers an area of 120,000 square meters. The Ming Tombs have the largest architectural scale among the thirteen tombs, with the earliest construction time and a grand layout. The plan is rectangular in the front and circular at the back. The rectangular part in front consists of three connected courtyards. The Ming Tombs were built with exquisite materials and fine workmanship, involving a vast and prolonged construction period. The underground palace alone took four years to complete. The Ming Tombs were chosen by Zhu Di while he was also constructing the imperial palace in Beijing, and were completed in the thirteenth year of Yongle (1413). The above-ground structures were essentially finished by the second year of Xuande (March 1427). The above-ground structures of the Ming Tombs are the most well-preserved architectural complex among the thirteen tombs, with auxiliary halls, Ming towers, and treasure tops all intact. The Ling'en Hall of the Ming Tombs is where the succeeding emperors worshipped Emperor Yongle. The hall is built on a three-tiered platform carved from white marble, with floors paved in golden bricks. The hall is nine bays wide (66.56 meters) and five bays deep (29.12 meters), symbolizing the emperor's supreme status of 'Nine-Five.' All the timber used for the major halls is golden phoebe, exuding an ancient charm. Sixty golden phoebe columns, each over one meter in diameter and several meters tall, support the double-eaved roof covering more than 2,300 square meters, creating a majestic and unparalleled sight. The thickest of these columns is a rare sight in the world, standing 12.58 meters tall with a base diameter of 1.124 meters. Therefore, the Ling'en Hall is a major highlight of the Ming Tombs. Address: Changchi Road, Changping District, Beijing Opening hours: 8:30—16:30 Open all year round