十三陵的英文導(dǎo)游詞---不是一般的費(fèi)勁EmpressXudiedinthe5th

yearofYongle(1407).ZhuDisentZhaoHong,secretaryoftheMinistryofRitesandageomancer----LiaoJunqingalongwithmanyotherstoBeijinginsearchofanauspiciousplaceforthetombs.ItissaidthatthisgroupofpeoplefirstselectedtheareaofTuJiaYing,whichmeansslaughter-house,andassuch,itcouldn'tbeusedastheburialground.Nexttheyselectedthefootof

Yangshan

Mountain,Changping.However,sincethesurnameoftheemperor(Zhu)isahomophoneforpigandbecauseavillagenamed'wolfmouthravine'waslocatedthere,theydecidedagainstusingthatarea.Later,theyfoundYan-jiataiwestof

Beijing.Again,since'Yanjia'wasthehomonymofthedeathoftheemperor,itwasalsodeemedunsuitable.Itwasnotuntilthe7thyearofYongle(1409),thattheyfinallychosethepresent

Therewere16emperorsduringtheMingDynasty.BuriedintheMingtombs,are13Mingemperorsand23empresses,aswellasmanyconcubines,princes,princessesandmaids.Theother3emperors,EmperorZhuYuanzhang,ZhuYunwenandZhuQiyuareburiedinotherlocations.ThefounderoftheMingDynasty,ZhuYuanzhang,establishedhiscapitalinpresentdayNanjing

wherehewasburiedafterhisdeath.HistombiscalledXiaoling(TombofFilialPiety).ThebodyofthesecondemperoroftheMing,ZhuYunwen,ismissing.Somesaidthathediedinafire,whileotherssaidthathewenttoatempleandbecameamonk.Thereisnofinalconclusionyet.TheseventhMingEmperorZhuQiyu,wasburiedasaprincebyhiselderbrotherZhuQizhenatJinshankou,awesternsuburbof

Beijing,becauseintheTumubaoUpheaval,EmperorZhuQizhenbecameacaptiveandtheyoungerbrotherofZhuQizhen.

ZhuQiyuwaschosenasthenewemperor,butlaterZhuQizhenwasback

andproclaimedhisre-enthronement

in

theSeizingGateUpheaval.TheMemorialArchwasbuiltinthe19th

yearofJiajing(1540)asasymboloftheMingTombs.Itis14metershighand28.86meterswide,andhas5archessupportedby6pillarswithbeautifulbas-reliefcarvingsoflions,dragonsandlotusflowers.TheMemorialArchisthebiggestandthemostexquisitestonearchpreservedinthecountrytoday.Themajordesignsofdragonandclouddecorationsreflectthecharacterofimperialarchitecture.Inaddition,italsodemonstratestheskillfulartistryoftheMingcraftsmen.TheBigPalaceGateisthefrontgateoftheMingTombs,andismorecommonlyknownasBigRedGate.Facingsouth,therearethreearchentrancestothegate,themaininlettotheMingTombs.Flankingthegatearetwostonetablets,inscribedwithordersfortheemperor,officialsandotherpeopletodismount,beforeenteringintothetombarea.Iftheydidnotobey,theywouldbepunishedfortheirdisrespect.TherulesgoverningtheMingTombsintheMingDynasty,stipulatethatonewhosneaksintothetombareatopickfirewoodandbreaktwigswouldbeflogged.Thosewhocametofetchdirtandstonewouldbebeheaded.Thosewhoenteredarbitrarilyintothetombareawouldbefloggedahundredtimes.TheTabletHousewasbuiltinthe10th

yearofXuande(1435),andstandsabout10metershighwithtwotiersofeaves.AhugetabletstandsinthemiddleoftheTabletHouse.ThefrontsidebearsaninscriptionbyEmperorRenzongforChengzu.ThereversesideisapoembyQingEmperorQianlongrecordingindetailtheconditionsofthebrokenChangling,Yongling,DinglingandXiling.OntheeastsideistherecordofexpendituresforrepairingtheMingTombsbytheQinggovernment.OnthewestsideisanepitaphbyQingEmperorJiaqing.Itwaswritteninthe9th

yearofJiaqing(1804)describingthecauseofthefalloftheMingDynasty.OnthenorthsideoftheTabletHouse,standsagroupofstonecarvings(36in

all).Behindthehouse,therearetwostonepillars.Beyondthepillarsarestoneanimalsandotherstatues.Lions,XieZhi,camels,elephants,andQiLinhorses.Alloftheanimalsareintwopairs.Twostand,whiletheothertwokneel.Itisfollowedbythestatuesofmilitaryofficers,civilofficialsandofficialsofmerit,fourineachgroup.Thesestoneanimalsandstatuesweremadeinthe10thyearofXuande(1435).Theyreflecttheimperialpowerwhenhewasaliveandtheimperialdignityafterhewasdeceased.

Theanimalsandstatueswerecreatedusingwholeblocksofstoneweighingacoupleoftonsandeachwasdelicatelyandmasterfullycarved.Herestands

LingXingGate,alsoknownastheuniqueDragonandPhoenixGate,withthemeaningoftheGateofHeaven.Thegateispiercedwithsixdoorleaves,attachedtothreearchways.Thetopofthecentralsectionofthethreearchwaysisdecoratedwithflamesandpreciouspearl,soitisalsoknownastheFlameArchway.TothenorthoftheDragonandPhoenixGatetherelaysaseven-archmarblebridge,leadingtothegateofChangling.Totheeastoftheseven-archbridgestandsanoldfive-archbridge,whichwastheoriginalsiteoftheseven-archbridge.ActuallywearestandingontheaxlelineoftheMingTombs,otherwiseknownastheSacredWay

ortheTombpath.WepassedtheMemorialArch,theBigPalaceGate,theTabletHouse,

SacredWay,stoneanimalsandstatues,and

LingXingGate.Thisseven-kilometerlongsacredpathwayleadsfromsouth

to

north,allthewaytotheGateofChangling.Now,wearemovingtoChangLing.ChanglingisthefirsttombbuiltintheMingTombsarea,covering10hectaresandcontainingEmperorZhuDiandhisempressXu.ZhuDi(Chengzu)oftheMingDynastywasthefourthsonofthefirstEmperorZhuYuanzhang,bornin1360.ZhuDiwasconferredthetitleoftheprinceofYaninthe3rd

yearofHongwu(1370).HewasappointedatBeiping.AfterthedeathofZhuYuanzhang(thefirstMingEmperor),ZhuDiusedthepretextofeliminatingevilofficialsatthesideofEmperorJianwentoleadanarmyexpeditiondownsouthtoNanjing.Heseizedthethroneinthe4thyearofJianwen(1402)andascendedthethroneinJuneinsidetheHallofAncestralWorshipin

Nanjing.

ZhuDiwasanemperorofoutstandingaccomplishmentintheMingDynasty.AssoonashebecametheprinceofYan,heledthegeneralsouttobattle.Hehadgreatachievementsincalmingdownthenorth.Afterhetookoverhisnephew'spowerandbecametheemperor,hestillwentouttobattlethroughoutthecountryandconsolidatedtheruleoftheMingDynasty.Hemadetheimportantdecisiontomovethecapitalto

Beijing.DuringtheruleofZhuDi,magnificentdevelopmentsweremadeintheeconomy,cultureandindiplomacy.

Intermsofculture,ZhuDisuccessivelysentGrandAcademicianXieJin,YanGuangxiaoandotherstocompiletheYongleencyclopedia.ThebookhasbecomethelargestbookevercompliedinChinesehistory.Forexpandingexternalexchangesandtrade,ZhuDiselectedeunuchZhengHetoleadalargefleetfilledwithpreciousgold,silver,silkandsatinstosailtosoutheastAsiaandAfrica

seventimesintheearlyyearsofYongle.EmpressXuwasburiedtogetherwithEmperorZhuDiinChangling.EmpressXushiwastheeldestdaughterofXuDawhowasoneofthefoundingfathersoftheMingDynasty.Throughoutherlifespan,XuShicomplied20articlesofinternallecturesandabookadvisingtobegood,soastocultivatepeople'sminds.ShewastheveryfirstonetobeburiedinChanglingandintheMingTombarea.TheHallofEminentFavorinChanglingisthebestpreservedamongthethirteentombs.

Itisavaluablerelicofancient

China'swoodenstructures.Itisnineroomswideandfiveroomslong,ahallsizerarelyseenin

China.

Theroofismadeoftop-classdoubleeavesandtherearemultipleroomscoveredwithyellowglazedtiles.Thehallissupportedby60thickNanmupillars,themiddlefourinthehallarethethickest,thediameterofeachonecanreachoveronemeter.ItisknownasthebestNanmu(phoebe)hallinthecountry.NowwearegoingtoDinging.Dinglingislocatedattheeastfootof

Dayu

Mountain.Buriedherearethe13thMingEmperorWanli(ZhuYijun)andhistwoempressesXiaoduanandXiaojing.

ZhuYijunwasthelongestonthethroneoftheMingEmperors.(Hewasemperorfor48years).HewasthegreediestandlaziestemperorintheMingDynasty.

Later,ZhangJuzhengdiedofillness.NotlongafterWanlimanagedstateaffairsonhisown,heusedthechancetoselectthelocationforhistombsitewhenhewenttopayhomagetotheancestors'tombs.Hespenteightmilliontaelsofsilver(250,000kilosofsilver)andsixyearstobuildahighqualitytombDingling.

AftertheDinglingwascompleted,ZhuYijunpersonallywenttoinspectit,andfeltverysatisfiedwiththeresult.Hewentsofarastoholdagrandbanquetinthe

Underground

ZhuYijunwasatypicalmuddle-headedemperor.Reflectingonhisreign,hedidnotpayattentiontostateaffairsfor28outofhis48yearrule.Thestateorganwaseffectivelysemi-paralyzedduringhisreign.LatergenerationscommentedthatthefalloftheMingdynastywascausedbythisemperor.

ZhuYijunhadtwoempresses.EmpressXiaojingwasoriginallyamaidofWanli'smotherCisheng.Latershegavebirthtoasonoftheemperor.Thatsonwastheone-monthemperorGuangzong(ZhuChangluo).Shediedofillness9yearsearlierthanShenzongdied.ShewasburiedasaconcubineatPinggangdi,aroundtheeastpit,attheHeavenlyLongevityMount.AfterXiaojingwasconferredthetitleof“grandmotheroftheemperor”,herbodywasmovedtotheUndergroundPalaceofDingling,andburiedtogetherwithEmperorWanliandEmpressXiaoduanonthesameday.

Xiaoduanwasconferredthetitleofempress,butshecouldnotgivebirthtoeitherasonoradaughtertotheemperor.Xiaoduandiedofillness.Ahundreddayslater,EmperorWanli(ZhuYijun)diedtoo.

EmpressXiaoduan,EmperorWanli,andEmpressXiaojingwereburiedtogetherinthe

Underground

ThetabletinfrontofDinglinghasnowordsonit.Itiscalledthewordlesstablet.Thereisapairofcoilingdragonsalongthetopandapatternofseawavescarvedonthebottom.Itsbaseiscomposedofatortoise(Bixi).Itissaidthatthedragonhasninesons.IntwelveoftheMingTombs,excludingChangling,allthetabletsarewordless.

OriginallytherewerenotablethousesinfrontoftheTombs,butlaterthetablethousesandsteelesofthefirstsixtombswerecompleted.ButtheemperorJiajingatthetimeindulgedindrinking,lustandsearchingforlongevitypills,sohehadnotimetopayattentionontheinscriptions.

Consequentlythesixtabletsarewordless.Andinkeepingwiththistradition,that’swhythetabletslateronarealsoblank.NowwearearrivingatTheGateofEminentFavorandtheHallofEminentFavorofDingling,TheHallofEminentFavorisalsocalledHallofEnjoyment.Itwastheplacewheretheemperorandhisentourageheldgrandsacrificialrites.TheyweremostlydestroyedwhentheQingsoldierscame.Andtheyweredestroyedagainlater,sonowonlytheruinsremain.Movingon,thisistheexhibitionroomsthatwerebuiltaftertheexcavationofthe

Underground

Palace.Theexhibitionexplainsindetailthehistoryofthetombmasterandintroducesthetombexcavationprocess.Theexhibitionroomsaredividedintotwoparts,thesouthandthenorth.Inthesouthroom,ondisplayarethesacrificialobjectsofEmperorWanliunearthedfromthe

NowwearriveatTheSoulTower,thisisthesymbolofthetomb.

It

isastonestructurewithcolorfulpainteddecorations.The

Soul

Tower

andthePreciouscitadelofDinglinghaveneverbeendamagedseriously.The

Soul

Tower

isthebestpreservedarchitectureabovethegroundofDingling.Ontopoftheyellow,glazedtiledroofofthe

Soul

Tower

sits

abigstonetablet.TwoChinesecharacters----Dingling,arecarvedonthetablet.Insidethe

Soul

DinglingistheonlyMingTombtobeexcavated.FormalexcavationworkstartedinMay1956andendedin1958.First,theworkingpersonneldiscoveredanexposedgatewayatthesidewalltothesouthwestofthePreciousCitadelofDingling.Sotheydugthefirsttunnelfacingthepositionofthegateway.Atthebottomofthetunnel,theydiscoveredatunnelmadeofbricks.Threemonthslater,alongthedirectionofthetunnel,tothewestofthe

Soul

Tower,theydugthesecondtunnel.Duringthedigging,theyencounteredwithastonetabletwhichinscribedthewords'fromhere48.

8m

forwardand10.

7m

downwardliesthepreciouswall'.Thereforeitgavethecorrectdirectionofopeningupthe

Accordingtothedirectionofthestonetablet,afterdiggingthethirdtunnel,theyfoundastonetunnel.Atlasttheygottothepreciouswall.Thustheyopenedthepreciouswallwithasquarestoneroom.Tothewestendoftheroom,laytwomarbledoors.Theworkingpersonnelusedawireandwoodplanktoremovethe'self-acting'stonebar,whichwasagainstthebackofthedoor.Withthismethod,theyopenedtheentranceofthe

Underground

ThepalacehasnobeamwhichwasbuiltaccordingtotheprinciplesofgeomancyAltogethertherearefivechambers.Thechambersareseparatedbysevenmarbledoors.TheUnderground

Thefrontandmiddlechambersare7.2metershighand6meterswide.Theflooriscoveredwithgoldbricks.Accordingtorecords,thegoldbricksaresmoothanddurable.Themoreyoupolishthem,thebrightertheybecome.Therearenodecorationsinthefrontandtwoannexchambers.Inthemiddlechamber,therearethreemarblethronesforEmperorWanliandhistwoEmpresses,knownasthepreciousthrones.Inthefrontofthethrones,therearefiveyellowglazedofferingsandoneblue-and-whiteporcelainjarofJiajingYear'sstylewithacloud-and-dragondesign.

Itisabout0.7metersindiameter.Originallytherewassesameoilinthejar.Onthesurfaceoftheoilwasacoppertubewithawickinside.Itiscalledthe'everlastinglamp'.Duetothelackofoxygen,thelightwentoutsotheoilhadnotbeenusedall.Therearchamberisthebiggestofthethree.Itis9.5metershigh,31meterslong,9.lmeterswide,thefloorispavedwithpolishedstones.

Intherearchamber,thereisacoffinplatformedgedwithwhitemarble.PlacedontheplatformarethecoffinsofEmperorWanliandhistwoEmpressesaswellas26vermilionboxesfilledwithfuneralobjects.Inthemiddleofthecoffinplatform,ther