Changling Tomb

The first built of the 13 tombs，the Changling Tomb buried the Ming Em-peror Yongle and his empress Xu.It was the largest（occupying 10 hec-tares），most advanced and best preserved imperial mausoleum，using the best materials.Built in 1409，even the underground palace of the massive proiect took four years to complete.Having undergone the weathering of 600 years，the Changling Tomb remains intact and resplendent and magnifi-cent.

Design followed that of Xiao Mausoleum for Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang the dynasty founder:the front is a rectangular courtyard and the rear is the round Treasure Dome（tomb mound）.led in by 15km Divine Avenue from south to north.The Divine Avenue extends from the stone archway at the mausoleum entrance straight forward to the gate of the mausoleum palace as the axis of the entire mausoleum and the symbol of the supreme maiesty of the monarch.Northward from the stone archway along the Divine Avenue are arranged in order the Big Red Gate，Stele of Achievements and Virtues，Watch Post，and stone animals and figures，the line ending at an exquisite and unique Lingxing Gate，the entrance to the mausoleum proper.

qingquang

See author's posts