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Lions at the Ming Tombs
Photos: Lion's Press Agency
Stone lions are omnipresent in China. The lions on this page are at the Ming Tombs in Beijing. The Tombs are situated in a valley to the south of the Tianshou Mountains, about 48 km (30 miles) northwest of Beijing. The area comprises forty square kilometres. The magnificent Yanshan Mountain, running from west to east, encircles the Ming tombs on three sides.
Thirteen of the sixteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty were buried here. We lions are supposed to 'defend' these dead humans from evil influences by the dragon and tiger hills on either side of the valley.
Visitors of the tombs can walk over a 'spirit path', with large stone animal sculptures along both sides, including some lions, as shown on the pictures.
Construction of the Ming Tomb 'necropolis' took place during more than two hundred years, almost throughout the entire Ming Dynasty. The first tomb was built in 1409, and the last one in 1644.
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