Ming Temple and Tombs, 3:17 pm. We stopped for lunch at an enamel and porcelain factory where artisans painstakingly create pots, dinner wear and household goods. Then onto the famous Ming Tombs, covering an area of 46.3 square miles or 120 square kilometers and housing the largest number of emperors tombs from the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644. We visited the Changling site—the building in the large picture at left—is the only well preserved tomb palace from the Ming Dynasty. It was originally built for making sacrifices to the Emperor Zhu Di and Empress Xu, and now houses artifacts such as fine jade carvings and other precious articles found near the Changling Tomb of Emperor Zhu Di. This tomb remains unopened until archeologists can find a way to preserve the silk garments found in previous excavations, which upon opening—and within minutes—deteriorated and lost all their colour and lustre. Our day ended back in Beijing with a traditional roast duck dinner and then another late arrival at our hotel to sleep before starting another early day to visit the Summer Palace and then fly to our next destination Xi’an and the Terra Cotta Army site. v Photography left to right: The Emperor Zhu Di’s remembrance palace. Entrance to the tomb. From the top of the tomb entrance, looking back at the palace. One of many precious jades on display at the palace. The mausoleum inscription and a bronze sculpture of Emperor Zhu Di.
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