Ding Mausoleum, Imperial mausoleum in Changping District, China
Ding Mausoleum is an imperial burial site in Changping District, China, featuring underground marble chambers. The complex includes exhibition halls, restored gates, and a landscaped approach path through wooded grounds.
The complex was built as a resting place for Emperor Wanli and two empresses in the late 16th century. The opening of the burial chamber in the 1950s marked the first time archaeologists examined a Ming tomb of this kind.
The site takes its name from Emperor Wanli, with 'Ding' meaning stability or tranquility in Chinese. Today visitors walk through reconstructed ceremonial paths that once guided funeral processions through the complex.
Access involves stairs leading down into the underground sections, with lighting kept low throughout. The rooms can feel cool, so appropriate clothing is recommended when visiting the chambers.
The excavation accidentally damaged many silk artifacts, leading to new methods in handling delicate historical textiles. Since then, no other Ming imperial tombs have been opened for scientific study.
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