About this place

13 of the 16 Ming emperors are buried in a valley next to Tianshou Mountain (天寿山), just northwest of Beijing.  The first emperor is buried in Nanjing, the burial site of the second emperor remains unknown, and the seventh emperor was buried at the Summer Palace in an ordinary tomb.  The Thirteen Ming Tombs are the largest single dynastic collection of tombs.  There are 3 tombs that are available for viewing.
 
Spirit Way (Shendao, 神道)
Apr 1 – Oct 31: 30 yuan, Nov 1 – Mar 31: 20 yuan
 
The seven kilometer long Spirit Way leads up to the tomb site.  It was built in the same fashion as the "Sacred Path" in Nanjing with pairs of stone animals on either side of the path.  Even past emperors would have to dismount from their horses when passing through Spirit Way and visiting the tomb grounds.  Many tours do not go here, skipping ahead to the tombs instead.
 

Changling (长陵)
(010) 60761334
Apr 1 – Oct 31: 45 yuan.  Nov 1 – Mar 31: 30 yuan
 
The tomb of Emperor Yongle (1360-1424) and his empress, Xushi, is the largest of the three tombs. It is the first tomb visitors will reach in the valley if entering from the Spirit Way.  It was also the first Ming tomb to be built at this site.
 
The tomb layout is identical to that of the first Ming Tomb in Nanjing although on a grander scale and with the bottom of the burial mound at the top of the wall rather than the bottom.  The imperial architecture resembles that of the Forbidden City in Beijing which was also built during the reign of Yongle.

 
 
Dingling (定陵)
(010) 60761156
Apr 1 – Oct 31: 60 yuan, Nov 1 – Mar 31: 40yuan.
 
The highlight of Dingling is the underground palace that was excavated in 1956.  Dingling is the only tomb to be completely excavated.  It is the burial place of the Emperor Wanli (1563-1620), his wife, and one of his concubines.  There are also some displays about the Ming Tombs located inside the Dingling tomb area.
 

Zhaoling (昭陵)
(010) 60761435
Apr 1 – Oct 31: 30 yuan, Nov 1 – Mar 31: 20 yuan
 
Zhaoling, the tomb of the twelfth emperor Muzong, (1537-1572) and his three empresses, is the smallest of the three tombs as well as the least visited.

 
 
13 Tombs Waxworks Palace of Ming Dynasty (十三陵明皇宫)
(010) 69748706
40 yuan per person
 
The "Waxworks Palace" is surely not a must-see destination on it’s own, but if you are heading to the Ming Tombs this museum makes for an entertaining introduction on the history of the Ming Dynasty.  It is located 27 kilometers from the Badaling (八达岭) section of the Great Wall and only 2 kilometers from the Thirteen Ming Tombs.
 
Getting To, From and Around the Tombs
 
Tours
 
The easiest method of seeing the tombs is to get on a tour with your hostel or hotel.  100 to 150 yuan for transportation there and back is a reasonable price.  Many tours combine a trip to the 13 tombs with a trip to the Great Wall at Badaling.
 

Beijing Tourist Buses
 
There are Beijing tourist bus routes that include a visit to Dingling (定陵) along with a visit to The Great Wall.  This would be a cheap and reliable way to see the one tomb.
 

Taxis
 
Private taxis run from Deshengmen (德胜门) bus station and should cost around 100 yuan.  A taxi from the Juyongguan (居庸关) section of the Great wall should cost about 50 yuan.  Each tomb is located a couple kilometers away from the other tombs so it should cost about 10 yuan to get a taxi from one tomb to another.  All the prices just listed are estimates.  Supply and demand of taxis, as well as a tourist’s bargaining skills, language skills, and appearance are all factors that may affect these prices.
 
Public Transportation (last updated May 2006)
 
Public Transportation is cheap, yet it can be quite a hassle for those that don’t speak Chinese. The first step to get to any of these location is to get to Changping.  From Desehengmen (德胜门) bus station take Bus #345 支(zhi) to Changping Dongguan (昌平东关).  From Changping:
- take bus #314 which stops at Dingling and Changling.
- take bus #22 which stops 200 meters away from Zhaoling. 
- take bus #947 to the “Waxworks Palace."
 
Unfortunately these buses do not run very frequently.  It may take a half hour before it is possible to hop on a bus back into the city.  There are other possible bus routes, some of which only run during special occasions.