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Changling Tomb

The winding Tianshou Mountain ridges linked to each other create a horseshoe shape opening to the south. At the northernmost center of the horseshoe, the Changling Tomb is built at the foot of the mountain. It is the largest among the 13 tombs.

At the opening of the horseshoe, 6 km south of Changling Tomb, there are two east and west small isolated hills opposite to each other. The Dahong Men, built between them, is taken as the starting-point of the entire mausoleum area. This method of using natural terrain reminds people of the fine tradition that ancient Chinese cities and other large structures paid close attention to integration with the macro-environment. Apart from the Changling Tomb, another 12 tombs are scattered along the two sides of the horseshoe facing the path leading to public tombs.

The three courtyards in the front and at the back of the Changling Tomb are of the same width, and are encircled by high walls. Inside the tomb gate, the first courtyard is very shallow, the second square, vertical and long. The entrance is the Ling’en Gate. On the first line of the middle pillar, three doors are open on the single-layer stone platform encircled by white stone balustrades very much like Taihemen Gate in the Forbidden City. The Ling’en Hall, the key structure in the second courtyard, is at the rear. Its shape and structure are the same as the Taihe Hall of the Forbidden City, with an area of 1,956 square meters. Under the hall, there are three layers of stone platforms encircled by stone balustrades. The 32 large pillars inside the hall are all made with super-quality gold filigreed Nanmu timber. The largest four pillars are each 1.17 meters in diameter and 12 meters high.

Dingling Tomb

The Dingling Tomb is the representative royal tomb of the Ming Tombs and also the only one whose underground palace was unearthed. It is the tomb of the 13th Emperor Shenzong (Zhuyijun) of the Ming Dynasty and his two Queens, Xiaoduan and Xiaojing.

The construction of the Dingling Tomb started in the 12th year of (1584) Wenli of Shenzong’s reign and was completed in the 18th (1590) year of Wanli. Buildings on the ground consist of Treasure City, Grand Mansion, Ling’en Hall, two ground auxiliary halls, Ling’en Gate, Ling Gate, Shenbo Oven, Dinvine Wardrobe, Divine Stock, Slaughter Pavilion and Wailuo City, etc. At present, the Treasure City and Grand Mansion of the Dingling have been preserved fairly well.

（Source: chinaculture.org）