十三陵英語導(dǎo)游詞

【文檔尺寸：A4字體：仿宋標(biāo)題字號：20正文字號：12】

十三陵英語導(dǎo)游詞

十三陵英語導(dǎo)游詞篇1

MingTombs

TheMingTombsarelocatedinChangpingDistrict,about50kilometers(31miles)

tothenorthwestofBeijing.Thisimperialcemeterycoversanareaof40square

kilometerswith13Mingemperors,23empresses,manyimperialconcubines,princes

andprincessesburiedthere.ThesetombsarethebestpreservedofallChinese

imperialtombs.

TheMingDynastystartedfrom1368to1644,lasting276years.Altogether16

emperorsruledintheMingDynasty.Butoutofthe16emperors,13emperorswere

buriedinBeijingMingTombsarea.ThefirstMingEmperorZhuYuanzhanghadhis

tombbuiltinNanjingandhewasburiedinXiaolingofNanjing.ZhuYuanzhang,the

founderoftheMingDynasty,wasbornin1328anddiedin1398.HebuledChinafor

31years,hecamefromapoorpeasantfamiluy.In1345bothhisparensandhis

brotherdiedofseriousnaturalcalamitywithinhalfayearwhenhewas17yearsold.

Inordertomakehislivelihood,hewenttoatemple,therehetooktonsureand

becameaBuddhistmonk.HewentoutthreeyearsforbeggingalmsinHenan,Anhui

andsouthofthecountry.In1348,hecamebacktothetempleandwasdetermined

tostudydiligently.In1351,theRedTurbanPeasantArmyappearedinChina,laterin

1352,hejoinedtheRedTurbanPeasantArmy,fightingagainsttheYuancourt.Finally

hebecamethechiefleaderinthearmy.In1368ZhuYuanzhangestablishedtheMing

DynastywithitscapitalinNanjing,JiangsuProvince.In1398,afterhis31yearsonthe

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throne,ZhuYuanzhangdiedattheageof71andwasburiedinhistombXiaoling,

easternsuburbsofthecapitalNanjing.

AccordingtotheChinesehereditarysystem,theeldestsonshouldbethe

successor.Butunfortunately,ZhuYuanzhang'seldestsonZhuBiaodiedin1392,six

yearsearlierthantheemperor.SoEmperorZhuYuanzhangchosehisgrandsonZhu

Yunwenasthesuccessor.In1398,afterEmperorZhuYuanzhangdied,his21-year-old

grandsonsucceededhisthroneandbecamethesecondemperoroftheMing

DynastynamedEmperorJianWen.AtthattimeEmperorJianWenwasassistedby

coutofficialsingoverningthecountry.Inordertocentralizethepower,headopted

thesuggestionofhiscourtofficialstoweakenthepoweroftheregionalgarrison

commanderswhowereactuallyhisuncles,thesonsofthefirstemperor.Butthese

measuresmetwithstrongresistancefromhisuncleZhuDi,theprinceofYanzthe

fourthsonofthefirstEmperorZhuYuanzhang.ZhuDigotsoenragedwhenheheard

thenewsthathispowerwouldbereduced.WithanarmyoflOOOOOstong,hewas

themostpowerfulgarrisoncommanderamongalltheprinces,thenunderthe

excuseofwipingouttheevilsaroundtheemperor,helaunchedpunitiveexpedition

tothecapitalin1399inthenameof"wipingoutevilforthecountrythewarlasted

forthreeyears,finallyZhuDiusurpedthepowerfromhisnephewandbecamethe

3rdemperoroftheMingDynastyandadoptedthereigntitle"yongle".EmperorJian

Wen,thedethronedemperordisappearedwithnowheretobefound.Somepeople

saidthathediedinabigfire;anothersayingisthathehadescapedtoatempleand

becameaBuddhistmonk.Anywayhiswhereaboutsremainedunknowntillnowin

spiteofYongle'ssearchforhimalloverthecountry.Sothereisnotombforthe

secondemperoroftheMingDynasty.

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TheseventhemperorJingTaiwasburiedatJinshang

MountaininthewesternsuburbsofBeijing.JingTaiwasthebrotherofEmperor

Yingzong,thesixthMingEmperor.In1449,emperorYingzongwascapturedby

Mongoltroopsinabattle.HoweverhisbrotherZhuQiyuwasputtothethroneas

theemperorandentitledJingTai.NextyearwhenthesixthMingEmperorYingzong

gotfreeandcameback,hisbrotherhadgotonthethronealready,andthenhe

becameabackstageruler.Eightyearslater,in1457hestagedacoupinthecourtand

succeededinmakingarestorationandoverthrewhisbrotherandalsoabrogatedhis

brother.ItisknowninChinesehistoryasthe"CoupofSeizingtheGate”.He

reproclaimedhisselfastheemperorandcametothethroneagain.Halfamonthlater,

JingTaidied,Yingzongrefusedtohonorhisanimperialburial,sohewasburiedasa

princeinJingshan

MountainonthewesternoutskirtsofBeijing.Thatiswhythereare13tombsin

thisimperialburialground,commonlyknownasthe''ThirteenMingTombs〃in

Chinese.

HavingbeenafrontiercommanderinBeijingformanyyears,EmperorYongle

realizedthatapeacefulnorthernfrontierwasveryimportanttothe

MingCourt

andBeijingcommandedaveryimportantstrategicpositiontothewhole

country.Inordertoconsolidateunityandstrengthenhiscontroloverthewhole

country,thenorthernpartinparticular;hedecidedtomovethecapitalfromNanjing

toBeijingforthemissedhisformerheadquartersinBeijingaswell.Constructionof

theimperialpalacestartedin1406.In1407EmpressXudied.Inordertoshowhis

determinationonmovingthecapitalfromNanjingtoBeijing,EmperorZhuDi

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decidedtoburyherinBeijinginsteadofburyingherintheformercapitalNanjing

wherehisfather/stombwaslocated.Firstheorderedasearchmadeforan

“auspiciousburialsite"amidbeautifulsceneryontheoutskirtsofBeijing.Hesenta

ministerofritetogetherwithamastergeomancertoBeijingandorderedthemto

findabestspotfortheimperialburialgroundbasedon“FengShui〃.thepracticeof

“FengShui〃wassimilartothewesterngeomancy,whichappearedveryearlyinchina.

Thegeomancersdevelopedaconceptforanidealresidenceforboththelivingand

thedead.AccordingtothepracticeofFengShui,theimperialburialgroundshould

becloselyrelatedtothesurroundinglandscapes.Basedonthegeomancy,the

presentsiteoftheMingTombswaschosenwithgreatestcare.Withgeomancytaken

intoaccount,eventhenameofthevalley,thenameofthehillandthenameofthe

nearbyvillageallhadtoputintotheirconsiderations.ItissaidthatEmperorYongle

wasdissatisfiedwiththenamesofsomeplacestheyhadchosenforhim.After

seriousconsiderationthepresentsitewasfinallychosen.Rollinghillsknownasthe

YellowEarthHillformedanaturalprotectionscreentothenorth;theDragonHillon

theeastandtheTigerHillonthewest,stoodjustliketwogeneralsguardingthe

gatewayforthetombarea.Mountainstoitseast,westandnorthformedasemicircle

withaflatbasininside.Sothisareawasbeingscreenedbymountainsonthethree

sidesandwithonesideopentoBeijingPlaininthesouthwhileWenyu

RiverflowingbyfromnorthwesttowardstheGreatHuabeiPlain.Themountains

tothefarsouthareasaresponsetothemountainsinthenorth.Sothegeomancers

suggestedthatfromgeomanticpointofview,suchaplacewasconsideredasan

“AuspiciousArea"andreallyanidealsiteandabestspitfortheimperialburial

ground.EmperorZhuDiwasgreatlysatisfiedwiththisburialgroundandordered

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startingconstructionofhistomb.HechangedthenameofYellowEarthHillto

HeavenlyLongevityHill.Asthesitewasdecidedupon,in1409constructionofhis

tombChangLingwasstarted.TheHallofEminentFavorwascompletedin1416and

thewholeconstructionofChangLingwascompletedin1427,thesecondyearof

EmperorXuanDeinMarch,buttheundergroundtombwascompletedin1413.So

EmpressXuwasmovedfromNangjingandburiedherefirst.In1424EmperorZhuDi

diedinthedesertonhisfifthexpeditioninperson.Afterhisalltheemperorsofthe

MingDynastyalsohadtheirtombsbuiltinthisareaexceptEmperorJingTai,the

seventhemperorwhowasburiedinthewesternsuburbsofBeijing,Jinshan

Mountain.Thethirteentombstookmorethan200yearstocomplete,scattered

over40squarekilometers.Thethirteentombsarenamedas:ChangLing,XianLing,

JingLing,YuLing,MaoLing,TaiLing,KangLing,YongLing,ZhaoUng,DingLing,Qing

Ling,DeLingandSiLing.

SacredWay（shenlu神路）

ASacredWay

isalwaysfoundinanimperialcemetery.The

SacredWay

oftheMingTombsis7kilometerslongfromtheMemorialStoneArchwaytothe

gateofChangLing.AlongthesacredwayareMarbleArchway,GreatPalaceGate,

TabletTower,StoneStatuesandDragonandPhoenixGate.The

ScaredWay

wasoriginallybuiltforChangLing,EmperorYongLe'stomb,butsincetheother

twelvetombswerealsobuiltinthisarea,eithertotherightortotheleftofChang

Ling,the

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SacredWay

becamethemainroadforallofthethirteentombs.Althoughtheywereform

onegroup,eachtombisindependentformtheother.Duringthefuneralceremony,

thedeceasedemperorwascarriedovertheroad.ApartfromtheSiLinginthe

southwest,theyareclusteredinoneareaaroundtheChangUng,allofthethirteen

tombslieatthefootofahill,butthedistancebetweentwotombsrangesfrom500

metersto4milometers.ThislayoutperfectlyembodiesthetombsystemintheMing

Dynasty.

MarbleArchway(shipaifang石牌坊)

Thisisamemorialstonearchwaymadeofwhitemarble.Itwasbuiltin1540

duringthereignofEmperorJiajingintheMingDynastyforpromotingthe

meritoriousandvirtuousdeedsofthefeudalrulers,butstillinanexcellentcondition.

Asastartingpoint,MarbleArchwayisasymbolofthetombarea.

Itis14metershighand29meterswideandithas5archessupportedby6

marblepillarswithbeautifulreliefcarvingsofdragons,lionsandlotusflowersand

clouds.ItisthesouthernmoststructureintheMingTombsandtheearliestand

best-preservedstonearchwaystillexistinginChina.TheSacredWayusedtopass

beneaththeMarbleArchway.

十三陵英語導(dǎo)游詞篇2

THEMINGTOMBS

TheMingTombsare40kilometersnorthofBeijingCityonthesouthernslopes

ofTianshouMountain.Theyaretheburialgroundsof13MingDynastyemperors.In

July20xxthesitewasdesignatedaworldculturalheritagesitebyUNESCO.

EmpressXudiedintheSthyearofYongle(1407).ZhuDisent

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ZhaoHong,secretaryoftheMinistryofRitesandageomancer--LiaoJunqing

alongwithmanyotherstoBeijinginsearchofanauspiciousplaceforthetombs.Itis

saidthatthisgroupofpeoplefirstselectedtheareaofTuJiaYing,whichmeans

slaughter-house,andassuch,itcouldn'tbeusedastheburialground.Nextthey

selectedthefootofYangshanMountain,Changping.However,sincethesurnameof

theemperor(Zhu)isahomophoneforpigandbecauseavillagenamed'wolfmouth

ravine'waslocatedthere,theydecidedagainstusingthatarea.Later,theyfound

Yan-jiataiwestofBeijing.Again,since'Yanjia'wasthehomonymofthedeathofthe

emperor,itwasalsodeemedunsuitable.Itwasnotuntilthe7thyearofYongle

(1409),thattheyfinallychosethepresentHeavenlyLongevityMountainastheir

cemeterygrounds.

Thewholeareacovers40squarekilometers.Ithasmountainstoitseast,west

andnorth,andDragonMountainandTigerMountainareoneithersideofits

southernentrance.The13tombsgofromnorthtosouth.Theyarearrangedinthe

manneroftheImperialPalace,withtheadministrationareainthefrontandliving

quartersintherear.Infrontofthetombsaredivinepasses,stonearchwaysandsteel

towers.ThePreciousCityandMingTowerstandovertheUndergroundPalace.

Therewere16emperorsduringtheMingDynasty.BuriedintheMingtombs,

are13Mingemperorsand23empresses,aswellasmanyconcubines,princes,

princessesandmaids.Theother3emperors,EmperorZhuYuanzhang,ZhuYunwen

andZhuQiyuareburiedinotherlocations.

ThefounderoftheMingDynasty,ZhuYuanzhang,establishedhiscapitalin

presentdayNanjingwherehewasburiedafterhisdeath.HistombiscalledXiaoling

(TombofFilialPiety).

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ThebodyofthesecondemperoroftheMing,ZhuYunwen,ismissing.Some

saidthathediedinafire,whileotherssaidthathewenttoatempleandbecamea

monk.Thereisnofinalconclusionyet.

TheseventhMingEmperorZhuQiyu,wasburiedasaprincebyhiselderbrother

ZhuQizhenatJinshankou,awesternsuburbofBeijing,becauseintheTumubao

Upheaval,EmperorZhuQizhenbecameacaptiveandtheyoungerbrotherofZhu

Qizhen.ZhuQiyuwaschosenasthenewemperor,butlaterZhuQizhenwasback

andproclaimedhisre-enthronementintheSeizingGateUpheaval.

TheMemorialArchwasbuiltinthe19thyearofJiajing(1540)asasymbolofthe

MingTombs.Itis14metershighand28.86meterswide,andhas5archessupported

by6pillarswithbeautifulbas-reliefcarvingsoflions,dragonsandlotusflowers.The

MemorialArchisthebiggestandthemostexquisitestonearchpreservedinthe

countrytoday.Themajordesignsofdragonandclouddecorationsreflectthe

characterofimperialarchitecture.Inaddition,italsodemonstratestheskillful

artistryoftheMingcraftsmen.

TheBigPalaceGateisthefrontgateoftheMingTombs,andismorecommonly

knownasBigRedGate.Facingsouth,therearethreearchentrancestothegate,the

maininlettotheMingTombs.Flankingthegatearetwostonetablets,inscribedwith

ordersfortheemperor,officialsandotherpeopletodismount,beforeenteringinto

thetombarea.Iftheydidnotobey,theywouldbepunishedfortheirdisrespect.The

rulesgoverningtheMingTombsintheMingDynasty,stipulatethatonewhosneaks

intothetombareatopickfirewoodandbreaktwigswouldbeflogged.Thosewho

cametofetchdirtandstonewouldbebeheaded.Thosewhoenteredarbitrarilyinto

thetombareawouldbefloggedahundredtimes.

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TheTabletHousewasbuiltinthe10thyearofXuande(1435),andstandsabout

10metershighwithtwotiersofeaves.Ahugetabletstandsinthemiddleofthe

TabletHouse.ThefrontsidebearsaninscriptionbyEmperorRenzongforChengzu.

ThereversesideisapoembyQingEmperorQianlongrecordingindetailthe

conditionsofthebrokenChangling,Yongling,DinglingandXiling.Ontheeastsideis

therecordofexpendituresforrepairingtheMingTombsbytheQinggovernment.On

thewestsideisanepitaphbyQingEmperorJiaqing.Itwaswritteninthe9thyearof

Jiaqing(1804)describingthecauseofthefalloftheMingDynasty.

OnthenorthsideoftheTabletHouse,standsagroupofstonecarvings(36in

all).Behindthehouse,therearetwostonepillars.Beyondthepillarsarestone

animalsandotherstatues.Lions,XieZhi,camels,elephants,andQiLinhorses.Allof

theanimalsareintwopairs.Twostand,whiletheothertwokneel.Itisfollowedby

thestatuesofmilitaryofficers,civilofficialsandofficialsofmerit,fourineachgroup.

Thesestoneanimalsandstatuesweremadeinthe10thyearofXuande(1435).They

reflecttheimperialpowerwhenhewasaliveandtheimperialdignityafterhewas

deceased.Theanimalsandstatueswerecreatedusingwholeblocksofstone

weighingacoupleoftonsandeachwasdelicatelyandmasterfullycarved.

HerestandsLingXingGate,alsoknownastheuniqueDragonandPhoenixGate,

withthemeaningoftheGateofHeaven.Thegateispiercedwithsixdoorleaves,

attachedtothreearchways.Thetopofthecentralsectionofthethreearchwaysis

decoratedwithflamesandpreciouspearl,soitisalsoknownastheFlameArchway.

TothenorthoftheDragonandPhoenixGatetherelaysaseven-archmarblebridge,

leadingtothegateofChangling.Totheeastoftheseven-archbridgestandsanold

five-archbridge,whichwastheoriginalsiteoftheseven-archbridge.

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ActuallywearestandingontheaxlelineoftheMingTombs,otherwiseknown

astheSacredWayortheTombpath.WepassedtheMemorialArch,theBigPalace

Gate,theTabletHouse,SacredWay,stoneanimalsandstatues,andLingXingGate.

Thisseven-kilometerlongsacredpathwayleadsfromsouthtonorth,allthewayto

theGateofChangling.

Now,wearemovingtoChangLing.ChanglingisthefirsttombbuiltintheMing

Tombsarea,covering10hectaresandcontainingEmperorZhuDiandhisempressXu.

ZhuDi(Chengzu)oftheMingDynastywasthefourthsonofthefirstEmperor

ZhuYuanzhang,bornin1360.ZhuDiwasconferredthetitleoftheprinceofYanin

the3rdyearofHongwu(1370).HewasappointedatBeiping.AfterthedeathofZhu

Yuanzhang(thefirstMingEmperor),ZhuDiusedthepretextofeliminatingevil

officialsatthesideofEmperorJianwentoleadanarmyexpeditiondownsouthto

Nanjing.Heseizedthethroneinthe4thyearofJianwen(1402)andascendedthe

throneinJuneinsidetheHallofAncestralWorshipinNanjing.ZhuDiwasan

emperorofoutstandingaccomplishmentintheMingDynasty.Assoonashebecame

theprinceofYan,heledthegeneralsouttobattle.Hehadgreatachievementsin

calmingdownthenorth.Afterhetookoverhisnephew'spowerandbecamethe

emperor,hestillwentouttobattlethroughoutthecountryandconsolidatedtherule

oftheMingDynasty.HemadetheimportantdecisiontomovethecapitaltoBeijing.

DuringtheruleofZhuDi,magnificentdevelopmentsweremadeintheeconomy,

cultureandindiplomacy.Intermsofculture,ZhuDisuccessivelysentGrand

AcademicianXieJin,YanGuangxiaoandotherstocompiletheYongleencyclopedia.

ThebookhasbecomethelargestbookevercompliedinChinesehistory.For

expandingexternalexchangesandtrade,ZhuDiselectedeunuchZhengHetoleada

io

largefleetfilledwithpreciousgold,silver;silkandsatinstosailtosoutheastAsiaand

AfricaseventimesintheearlyyearsofYongle.

EmpressXuwasburiedtogetherwithEmperorZhuDiinChangling.Empress

XushiwastheeldestdaughterofXuDawhowasoneofthefoundingfathersofthe

MingDynasty.Throughoutherlifespan,XuShicomplied20articlesofinternal

lecturesandabookadvisingtobegood,soastocultivatepeople'sminds.Shewas

theveryfirstonetobeburiedinChanglingandintheMingTombarea.

TheHallofEminentFavorinChanglingisthebestpreservedamongthethirteen

tombs.ItisavaluablerelicofancientChina'swoodenstructures.Itisninerooms

wideandfiveroomslong,ahallsizerarelyseeninChina.Theroofismadeof

top-classdoubleeavesandtherearemultipleroomscoveredwithyellowglazedtiles.

Thehallissupportedby60thickNanmupillars,themiddlefourinthehallarethe

thickest,thediameterofeachonecanreachoveronemeter.Itisknownasthebest

Nanmu(phoebe)hallinthecountry.

NowwearegoingtoDinging.DinglingislocatedattheeastfootofDayu

Mountain.Buriedherearethe13thMingEmperorWanli(ZhuYijun)andhistwo

empressesXiaoduanandXiaojing.ZhuYijunwasthelongestonthethroneofthe

MingEmperors.(Hewasemperorfor48years).Hewasthegreediestandlaziest

emperorintheMingDynasty.ZhuYijunascendedthethroneattheageof9.Afterhe

cametopower,hewassupportedbythechiefministerZhangJuzheng.Atthistime,

variousaspectsofsocietygaineddevelopment.

Later,ZhangJuzhengdiedofillness.NotlongafterWanlimanagedstateaffairs

onhisown,heusedthechancetoselectthelocationforhistombsitewhenhewent

topayhomagetotheancestors'tombs.Hespenteightmilliontaelsofsilver(250,000

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kilosofsilver)andsixyearstobuildahighqualitytombDingling.AftertheDingling

wascompleted,ZhuYijunpersonallywenttoinspectit,andfeltverysatisfiedwith

theresult.HewentsofarastoholdagrandbanquetintheUndergroundPalace,

whichwasunheardofinhistory.

ZhuYijunwasatypicalmuddle-headedemperor.Reflectingonhisreign,hedid

notpayattentiontostateaffairsfor28outofhis48yearrule.Thestateorganwas

effectivelysemi-paralyzedduringhisreign.Latergenerationscommentedthatthe

falloftheMingdynastywascausedbythisemperor.

ZhuYijunhadtwoempresses.EmpressXiaojingwasoriginallyamaidofWanli*s

motherCisheng.Latershegavebirthtoasonoftheemperor.Thatsonwasthe

one-monthemperorGuangzong(ZhuChangluo).Shediedofillness9yearsearlier

thanShenzongdied.ShewasburiedasaconcubineatPinggangdi,aroundtheeast

pit,attheHeavenlyLongevityMount.AfterXiaojingwasconferredthetitleof

"grandmotheroftheemperor”,herbodywasmovedtotheUndergroundPalaceof

Dingling,andburiedtogetherwithEmperorWanliandEmpressXiaoduanonthe

sameday.Xiaoduanwasconferredthetitleofempress,butshecouldnotgivebirth

toeitherasonoradaughtertotheemperor.Xiaoduandiedofillness.Ahundred

dayslater,EmperorWanli(ZhuYijun)diedtoo.EmpressXiaoduan,EmperorWanli,

andEmpressXiaojingwereburiedtogetherintheUndergroundPalace.

ThetabletinfrontofDinglinghasnowordsonit.Itiscalledthewordlesstablet.

Thereisapairofcoilingdragonsalongthetopandapatternofseawavescarvedon

thebottom.Itsbaseiscomposedofatortoise(Bixi).Itissaidthatthedragonhas

ninesons.IntwelveoftheMingTombs,excludingChangling,allthetabletsare

wordless.OriginallytherewerenotablethousesinfrontoftheTombs,butlaterthe

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tablethousesandsteelesofthefirstsixtombswerecompleted.Buttheemperor

Jiajingatthetimeindulgedindrinking,lustandsearchingforlongevitypills,sohe

hadnotimetopayattentionontheinscriptions.Consequentlythesixtabletsare

wordless.Andinkeepingwiththistradition,that'swhythetabletslateronarealso

blank.

NowwearearrivingatTheGateofEminentFavorandtheHallofEminentFavor

ofDingling,TheHallofEminentFavorisalsocalledHallofEnjoyment.Itwasthe

placewheretheemperorandhisentourageheldgrandsacrificialrites.Theywere

mostlydestroyedwhentheQingsoldierscame.Andtheyweredestroyedagainlater,

sonowonlytheruinsremain.

Movingon,thisistheexhibitionroomsthatwerebuiltaftertheexcavationof

theUndergroundPalace.Theexhibitionexplainsindetailthehistoryofthetomb

masterandintroducesthetombexcavationprocess.Theexhibitionroomsare

dividedintotwoparts,thesouthandthenorth.Inthesouthroom,ondisplayarethe

sacrificialobjectsofEmperorWanliunearthedfromtheUndergroundPalace.Inthe

northroom,ondisplayarethesacrificialitemsofthetwoempresses.Allofthenare

fancyandinvaluable.

NowwearriveatTheSoulTower,thisisthesymbolofthetomb.Itisastone

structurewithcolorfulpainteddecorations.TheSoulTowerandthePreciouscitadel

ofDinglinghaveneverbeendamagedseriously.TheSoulToweristhebestpreserved

architectureabovethegroundofDingling.Ontopoftheyellow,glazedtiledroofof

theSoulTowersitsabigstonetablet.TwoChinesecharacters----Dingling,arecarved

onthetablet.InsidetheSoulTower,ontopofanotherstonetablet,therearetwobig

characters----'theGreatMing'writteninsealcharacters.Onthebodyofthetablet,

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sevenChinesecharacters----'TombofEmperorShenzongXian'arecarved.TheSoul

TowerisconnectedwiththePreciousCitadel.ThePreciousCitadelisalargeround

wallbuiltwithbricks.ThePreciousCitadelwallis7.5mhigh,andlowerpartisthick

whiletheupperpartisthin.Theroundwall'sperimeterisover800meters,and

insidethewallisalargeartificialmound,theemperor'stombmound,knownas

PreciousTop.

DinglingistheonlyMingTombtobeexcavated.Formalexcavationworkstarted

inMay1956andendedin1958.First,theworkingpersonneldiscoveredanexposed

gatewayatthesidewalltothesouthwestofthePreciousCitadelofDingling.Sothey

dugthefirsttunnelfacingthepositionofthegateway.Atthebottomofthetunnel,

theydiscoveredatunnelmadeofbricks.Threemonthslater,alongthedirectionof

thetunnel,tothewestoftheSoulTower,theydugthesecondtunnel.Duringthe

digging,theyencounteredwithastonetabletwhichinscribedthewords'fromhere

48.8mforwardand10.7mdownwardliesthepreciouswall'.Thereforeitgavethe

correctdirectionofopeninguptheUndergroundPalace.

Accordingtothedirectionofthestonetablet,afterdiggingthethirdtunnel,

theyfoundastonetunnel.Atlasttheygottothepreciouswall.Thustheyopened

thepreciouswallwithasquarestoneroom.Tothewestendoftheroom,laytwo

marbledoors.Theworkingpersonnelusedawireandwoodplanktoremovethe'

self-acting'stonebar,whichwasagainstthebackofthedoor.Withthismethod,they

openedtheentranceoftheUndergroundPalace.

Thepalacehasnobeamwhichwasbuiltaccordingtotheprinciplesof

geomancyAltogethertherearefivechambers.Thechambersareseparatedbyseven

marbledoors.TheUndergroundPalaceis27metersdeep,coveringanareaof1,195

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squaremeters.Thereisasamestructurestonedoorinbetweenthefront,middle

andrearchambers.Thedoorismadeofmarble.Thebiggestmarbledooris3.3

metershigh,1.7meterswide,4tonsinweight.Itlooksheavy,butitisreasonably

designed.Thepivotofthestonedoorisinclinedtothedooraxle,sothedooriseasy

toopenandclose.Ontopofthedoorisalintel(madeofbronze)tubeweighing

about10tonstopreventthedoorfromfalling.Carvedonthefrontofthemarble

doorare9rowsof81knobsandstrangeanimalswithringsintheirmouths.Located

onthereverseside,oppositetheanimals,isaprotrudingsectionthatholdsthe

door's'self-acting'stonebar.

Thefrontandmiddlechambersare7.2metershighand6meterswide.The

flooriscoveredwithgoldbricks.Accordingtorecords,thegoldbricksaresmooth

anddurable.Themoreyoupolishthem,thebrightertheybecome.Thereareno

decorationsinthefrontandtwoannexchambers.Inthemiddlechamber,thereare

three