• The 13th generation emperor Wanli made his mausoleum to spend 6 years and 2 years national budget while he was living. It is surprising. The explanation version written in Chinese and English is put in a fixed mausoleum. Chinese and English explanation boards were in the Ding Ling mausoleum.

• Ding Ling
  Ding Ling, located just east of Mount Dayu is the mausoleum for the 13th emperor of the Ming dynasty Zhu Yi Jun and his two empresses. Zhu Yi Jun (1563 - 1620) was enthroned at age ten and reigned for 48 years, dying at 58. His reign title was Wanli and his posthumous title Shenzong. Construction of Ding Ling began in November 1584, the 12th year of his reign and was completed in June 1590, six years later. The complex covers an area of 180,000 square meters. The Ding Ling underground palace was the first of the 13 imperial Ming tombs excavated. With the approval of the state council of China, trial excavation began in May 1956 and quickly proved successful. The underground palace was composed of five halls – front, middle, rear, right and left. With a stone latch unfastened, the palace halls were discovered to have an arch of 1,195 square meters. Over 3,000 cultural artifacts were unearthed. In 1959, a Ding Ling Museum was erected at the site and opened the public.
• Remnant site of the hall of eminent favor
  The hall of eminent favor was built in 1585 and was used to hold ceremonies of worship and keep the tablets and personal effects of the deceased. When the construction was finished, the hall was 7-jian (the jian was an ancient Chinese measure of length ) wide and 5-jian in depth. With its double-eaved roof, the hall looked magnificent. It was damaged by wars at the end of the Ming dynasty and at the beginning of the Qing dynasty. It was rebuilt in the period of 1785-1787 by the Qing government, and some alterations were made. As a result of which the hall became 5-jian wide and 3-jian in depth and the space was reduced.
• LINGXING MEN
  Also called "LlNGXlNG MEN." It is the pailou has different style, the pillar is overrun pailou. In the anciently architecture, it just like the "TIAN MEN" in the sky palace, also the indication of the imperialistic exalted door.
• The soul tower
  Built in 1587, the tower is a symbolic structure of the mausoleum. The tower is made of engraved stones which were decorated with colorful paintings. It looks like a wooden structure. A sacred stele was erected inside the tower. At the top of the stele are engraved two characters "Da Ming" which mean great Ming. The remaining engraved characters on the surface are "the mausoleum of emperor Shenzong".
• The tunnel gate and the brick tunnel
  The tunnel gate was located under the Bao Cheng wall on the right side of the Soul Tower. It was discovered because part of the wall outside of Bao Cheng collapsed. It was the first trace found in the excavation and survey period. On the basis of the discovery, the archaeologists excavated the first probing ditch at the corresponding position within the wall. They found the brick tunnel and a stone engraved with three characters" the tunnel gate
  On the Bao Cheng wall, two deeper ditches were dug later. Discovered thereafter was a small stone tablet inscribed with 16 characters indicating the distance from the stone to the diamond wall and its depth, and a stone tunnel made of piebald stone as well the diamond wall was found finally at the end of the stone tunnel.
• The left chamber
  It is located left of the middle chamber.
  The left and the right chambers are symmetrically connected and both look alike.
  The chambers were empty when the underground palace was excavated,
• Rear chamber
  The rear chamber is the main chamber of the underground palace.
  Inside the chamber, there was a coffin bed, on which the coffins of the emperor and empress were placed.
  The coffin of the emperor was in the middle and those of the empresses were on both sides.
  Jade materials were found between the coffins.
  The burial articles for the emperor and empresses were kept in 26 cases made of nanmu (a kind of hard wood) on the sides of each coffin. When the underground palace was opened, part of the coffins and the burial articles had become decayed.
  The coffins and cases containing the burial articles on display at present are the copies of original ones.
• Stone gate of the front chamber
  The stone gate in the front chamber looks entirely the same as those in the middle and rear chambers. The gate frame was carved out of white stone. The leaves of the gate were designed skillfully, the door slab is thicker at the hinges (40cm) and becomes thinner towards the opposite side (20 cm). The bottom of the gate axle had the shape of half sphere. The load of axle was thus reduced and it was easier to open because the friction at the bottom of axle was weakened,
• Diamond wall
  This is a general term for underground walls in ancient times. This wall lies at the terminal of a stone tunnel, and bears an opening sight towards the central line of the underground palace. After the coffins of the emperor and empresses were carried through the opening, it would be sealed with bricks at the end of the burial. The tunnel was then filled in. At the time of the excavation, the bricks at the opening of the wall caved in a little, owing to the pressure of the earthwork after several hundred years. It was from here that the archaeologists dismantled the wall and entered the tunnel leading to the under-ground palace.
• The dragon and phoenix gate
  In ancient days, this gate symbolized the nobility of the monarchial system. People always called it the "Gate of Heaven". It is found mostly in the high-level architectural complex such as former imperial palaces, temples and mausoleums to show veneration.

Turtle and a Chinese pole.	A wide passage is a feature.	Ruin where only pillar mark remains.	There is always stone carving on emperor's road.
Symbolical Soul Tower was constructed in 1587.	Pine trees have grown from the wall.	Tunnel gate where emperor's coffin was carried.	Left room. The same structure as room right.
Dragon bench is Emperor Wanli throne.	Coffins of emperor and empress in the room.	Right room. Snake's bench is an empress throne.	Censer etc.Same composition as in the right and left room.
Every wall is made from marble. There is an underground palace about 20m in depth under the soil.		Stone gate of the front room.	After coffin is put in, seals it with bricks. The wall was dismantled for excavation.
Here becomes the entrance of an underground palace in the route though the exit.	Begins to return toward the Soul Tower.	Baskside of the Soul Tower.	Soul Tower made of colorful painted stone.It looks like wooden.
Road from Soul Tower to entrance of underground palace (Actually exit now).	On top, Great Ming; Daming. Below it, Mausoleum of Emperor Shenzong	The entrance from the Soul Tower. Forest region is thick.	Symbolistic credence. 1 censer, 2 candleholder, 2 vases on the credence.
The road leads straight to the Soul Tower.	LINGXING MEN means Heaven Gate of Heaven Palace.	Called Gate of Heaven and entrance of "God Road"	God road that only emperor walked.
They were built left and right respectively of the God road though they look like.		God road is an approach to a mausoleum to Chang Ling, one of 13 mausoleums.	Simple God road continues.

2006/05/01