Pictures from our June 2006 visit: Ming Tombs

The tombs of the Ming emperors are about 15 miles from the Great Wall and 30 miles north of Beijing. Only 13 of the 16 emperors are buried here--the first Ming emperor is buried at Nanjing. The second emperor's whereabouts are unknown, and the seventh emperor is buried somewhere in Beijing. Three tombs are open: Dingling, tomb of the 13th emperor (died 1620), and the only excavated tomb; Changling, the largest, tomb of the third emperor (reigned 1403-1424); and Zhaoling.

The tomb area, once surrounded by a 25-mile wall, is approached via a sacred way. It begins at a commemorative gateway erected in 1541, passes through a vermilion gatehouse and then between stone animal and human figures.