Ming Dynasty Imperial Tombs
The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, who was the Ming Taizu. In order to promote imperial power, Zhu Yuanzhang restored the system of pre-building Shouling and made major reforms to the mausoleum system in the Han, Tang and Song Dynasties. These reforms are manifested in many aspects. First of all, the shape of the mausoleum was changed from the square shape in the Tang and Song Dynasties to a circular shape to adapt to the rainy geographical climate in the south and to allow rainwater to flow down without invading the tomb. Therefore, during this period, great attention was paid to the sealing and antisepsis of coffins, and the corpses in the tombs were generally well preserved. Secondly, the cemetery building eliminated the lower palace building and retained and expanded the upper palace building for worship and worship. Correspondingly, the system of keeping maids in mausoleums to serve the souls of the dead was abolished. This is a major reform of the mausoleum system. It shows that with the development of society, the original superstitious methods in mausoleums have to be gradually abolished, so that the rituals of worship and sacrifice are more prominent. The Ming Dynasty paid special attention to the ritual ceremony of three kowtows and nine bows, which was a means for rulers to promote imperial power and consolidate their rule.
With the development of southern garden architectural art, the artistic style of cemetery buildings in the Ming Dynasty has made greater breakthroughs than previous dynasties, forming a relatively concentrated wooden structure group arranged in an orderly manner from south to north. . This is a remarkable feature of the mausoleum system in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. After Ming Dynasty Emperor Chengzu moved the capital to Beijing, most of the tombs of emperors of the Ming Dynasty were concentrated in Tianshou Mountain in Beijing, collectively known as the "Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty".
In the early Ming Dynasty, due to the autocratic imperial power, concubines were strictly prohibited from participating in politics starting from Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang. This political feature was also reflected in the burial system. Before Ming Yingzong, except for the empress who was buried in the imperial mausoleum, most of the other concubines died. According to historical records, in the procession of Xuanzong's concubines being buried, there was a palace female official named Guo Ai who was good at poetry. She was forced to be buried just twenty days after entering the palace. Before she died, she wrote a fatal poem, saying: "There are many shortcomings, but there is no need to compare them. Life is like a dream, and death is like a sleep. I came home before my relatives, and I feel ashamed that I have lost my filial piety. My heart is sad and desolate. It's inevitable, so it's time to mourn. "According to "Records of the Li Dynasty", on the day of the burial, the martyrs had to go to a banquet first, and a banquet was arranged in the palace. At this time, the cries were loud, and they were forced to stand on the small wooden bed. , put the rope that had been prepared around his neck, and hanged him alive. It was horrible to watch. This cruel system of human sacrifice in the Ming Dynasty was not abolished until Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty.
In the Ming Dynasty, the protection of mausoleums was more rigorous and institutionalized than before. For example, anyone who plots to destroy a mountain mausoleum will be considered a "treason" and will be executed without distinction between the mastermind and the conspirator; anyone who steals the sacrificial vessels, curtains and other things used by the gods to be worshiped will be beheaded; those who steal and cut down trees in the mountain mausoleum will be beheaded. The family members were assigned to the border army. In addition, in the Ming Dynasty, a special shrine was set up to guard the mausoleum. There is also a garrison station to protect the outside of the mausoleum. It can be said that the barriers are very tight.
Ming Taizu Xiaoling Mausoleum
The Xiaoling Tomb is the joint burial mausoleum of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang and his queen. It is located at the foot of Mount Everest in Dulong Fuwan, Zijin Mountain, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. Purple Mountain is majestic and beautiful. Since the Six Dynasties, a poem has been circulated that "Zhongfu is surrounded by dragons, and stone cities are occupied by tigers." Therefore, there is a saying of "tiger sitting on dragons". The springs at the foot of Mount Everest are deep and deep, with purple steam, clouds, and mountain colors that change day and night. Not long after Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he chose this place as the site of his mausoleum.
The Xiaoling Mausoleum is large in scale, and the architecture highlights the dedication hall to show respect for the imperial power and to achieve the purpose of consolidating feudal rule.
The front of the cemetery is the Xiamafang. The six characters "Officials of various departments dismount" are inscribed on the monument, which is a symbol of the mausoleum's majesty. There are twelve pairs of stone statues lined up on both sides of the Shinto in front of the mausoleum, including stone lions, stone There are two pairs of Xie Zhi, stone camels, stone unicorns, stone dogs and stone horses, facing each other, with vivid shapes, which are more spectacular than the stone carvings of the imperial tombs of the Tang and Song Dynasties. Among them, the stone elephant and stone camel are the tallest and are the representative works of stone carving art in the early Ming Dynasty. In front of the mausoleum, there are four pairs of stone wengzhongs. They are tall and their arms are no longer than their waist. Together with the stone beasts, they lined up majestically, one kilometer long, symbolizing the ceremonial guards and bodyguards Zhu Yuanzhang had during his lifetime. There is a poem like "The stone horse neighs in the wind and the old man stands tall, hesitating to go to class at midnight".
The Shinto of Xiaoling Mausoleum starts from the stone pillar and turns north. It is in the shape of a crescent and half embraces a hill, named "Sunling Gang". The Shinto turns, which is rare in imperial tombs. The reason why the Shinto of Xiaoling Mausoleum in the Ming Dynasty spared Sun Linggang is because there is the tomb of Sun Quan, the great emperor of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, on the hill. According to historical records, when the mausoleum was being built, someone suggested moving Sun Quan's tomb, but Zhu Yuanzhang refused and said: "Sun Quan was also a good man and stayed as the master of the sect." In this way, the Shinto had to bypass it.
The Ming Tombs
The Ming Tombs are located at the southern foot of Tianshou Mountain, 10 kilometers north of Changping County, Beijing. Changling, Xianling Mausoleum of Renzong Zhu Gaochi, Jingling Mausoleum of Xuanzong Zhuzhan, Yuling Mausoleum of Yingzong Zhuqizhen, Maoling Mausoleum of Xianzong Zhu Jianshen, Tailing Mausoleum of Xiaozong Zhu Youtang, Kangling Mausoleum of Wuzong Zhu Houzhao, Yongling Mausoleum of Sejong Zhu Houcong , Zhaoling of Mu Zong and Zhu Zaihou, Dingling of Shenzong Zhu Yijun, Qingling of Guangzong and Zhu Changluo, Deling of Xizong and Zhu Youxiao, Siling of Sizong and Zhu Youjian. The mausoleum covers an area of ??about 40 kilometers, with towering mountains on the east, west and north sides, and the mountains are stacked like arches and screens. To the south are Mang Mountain and Huyu Mountain, which guard each other. The majestic Grand Palace Gate is located between the two mountains and serves as the gateway to the mausoleum area. The entire mausoleum area is unique and majestic. From the time Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, selected it as the mausoleum site until the fall of the Ming Dynasty, after more than 200 years, the cemetery has been continuously constructed and turned into a large-scale and architecturally perfect mausoleum complex.
Chanling
Chanling is the tomb where King Zhu Di of Yan and Queen Xu are buried together.
Channgling is large in scale, majestic and reasonably laid out. It is a masterpiece in the history of ancient Chinese architecture. The cemetery runs from north to south and consists of three courtyards. The first courtyard is from Shibeifang to Leng'en Gate. The stone stele square is located at the southernmost end of the Ming Tombs Shinto. It is carved from white marble and is crystal clear. Six large pillars stand in the sky, connected with the blue sky at the top and white clouds at the bottom. From a distance, they look like a colorful cloud floating between heaven and earth, like the deified Nantian Gate in the legend.
To the north of Shibeifang is Dahongmen, which is the gateway of the cemetery. It faces south and has three caves. It has red walls and yellow tiles, and a single eaves on the top of the mountain. It is solemn, majestic, and dignified. The yellow glazed tile roof and the vermilion door wall complement each other, the colors are harmonious and alluring.
To the north of Dahongmen is the Changling Stele Pavilion. There is a stone stele with the head of a dragon and a turtle falling down, which records the life history of Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty. They are all words of praise. Among the Thirteen Tombs, only the stele and pavilion of Changling Tombs have inscriptions, but none of the other tombs have any. There is a Chinese watch at each corner of the stele pavilion. The base and body of the watch are embossed with dragon patterns and flowing cloud patterns, which are called "looking at the sky and roaring", and also called "looking at the return of the king". The meaning is that he hopes that the king will not be coveted in the palace, and should go out to understand the people's sentiments. It also hopes that the king will not linger outside and return to the court as soon as possible, so that the state affairs will not be left unhandled.
The second courtyard is Leng'en Hall. This is the most majestic building among the Ming Tombs. It is a place where "clothes, crowns, staffs, and daily necessities are hidden." The ceremony is all made of precious nanmu. After more than 500 years of wind and rain erosion, it has not tilted or deformed, which shows the superb construction skills of ancient Chinese craftsmen.
The third courtyard consists of the inner red door and the bright building. The Neihongmen is a gatehouse between the Lengen Hall and Baocheng. Because it is close to Zhu Di's mausoleum, the painted tones of the Neihongmen appear deep and solemn, which makes officials visiting the mausoleum feel a sense of fear when they enter the door.
The Changling Mausoleum is majestic, solemn and profound. It reflects an aspect of the politics, economy and culture of the early Ming Dynasty with its unique architectural art