Among the almost countless historic places in and around Beijing, the Sacred Way of the Ming Dynasty Tombs is one of the most important tourist sites near the city of Beijing and it is well worth a visit during a trip to China. The Sacred Way (also known as the Spirit Way) is actually the long entrance pathway to reach the Ming Tombs themselves. The entire Ming Tombs complex, along with the tomb of the first Ming emperor, the Xiaoling Tomb in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and 3 Qing Dynasty tombs in northern China's Liaoning Province, were selected as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 and 2003. The site of the Ming Dynasty Tombs near Beijing (also known in Chinese as Shi San Ling, literally the "Thirteen Tombs") was carefully selected by the Ming emperor according to the principles of feng shui, and it serves as the final resting place for 13 of the 16 Ming emperors who ruled China from 1368 to 1644 before the Manchurians overthrew the Ming and took control of China as the Qing Dynasty.
For the Ming Dynasty complex near Beijing, construction on both the Sacred Way and the first of the Ming Dynasty Tombs began shortly after the construction of the Forbidden City by the third Ming Dynasty emperor Yongle in 1420 A.D., who was also responsible for moving the capital city of China from Nanjing to Beijing. The entrance to the Sacred Way itself begins with a stone memorial archway, which is reportedly the largest stone archway in all of China, and built during the Ming Dynasty in 1540. Just beyond the archway, there is a red entrance tower or gate known as the "Great Red Gate" that leads to a long path lined by willow trees and stone statues of guardian animals and government officials. There are a total of 12 different real and mythical animals represented by statues along the Sacred Way, as well as representations of various types of government officials that were common during the Ming Dynasty's rule.
The Sacred Way and the Ming Tombs can easily be seen in a few hours, so they make a great addition to a tour of the nearby Great Wall of China at Juyongguan or the Great Wall sections at Badaling or Mutianyu. As an example of Chinese architecture and feng shui in China from the 14th to the 17th centuries, the Sacred Way and the Ming Tombs make for an interesting visit for anyone, but especially for those who have an interest in China's fascinating history.
Beijing Tour – The Sacred Way of the Ming Dynasty Tombs Near Beijing, China is a post from: Traveling China
from Traveling China http://www.chinaya.org
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment