Ming Tombs

 

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Changling

Changling TombThe huge Chang Ling is the tomb of the third Ming Emperor Yongle's tomb, who ruled China from 1402 to 1422 for altogether 22 years. The construction of this tomb started in the sixth year of his reign, covering five years to be finally completed. The layout of Changling just followed the example of Xiao Ling in Nanjing. Structures along the central axis are the Front Gate to the tomb, the Gate of Eminent Favor, the Hall of Eminent Favor, the Dragon and the Phoenix Gate, Soul Tower and the Wall-circled Earth Mound, among which the Hall of Eminent Favor is the most impressive and important. The hall covers 1,956 square meters; nearly the same as of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City but it exceeds the later for the fact that all the column, girder etc. were made of nanmu. Especially the 32 huge pillars of the hall, 12.58 meters in height are all made of a single trunk of nanmu tree. This sort of precious timber came from Sichuan, Hubei, Henan and Jiangxi provinces, all being about thousands of kilometers away from Beijing. It is said that it took five years or so only to transport these enormous wood. This is rarely seen in other parts of the world. The hall is the largest and most magnificent structure of nanmu wood still existing in China. Now this hall becomes the exhibition hall chamber of the historical relics unearthed from Chang Ling.

 

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