[2025 Beijing Attraction] Travel Guide for The Ming Tombs Changling (Updated May)

Changping District is a tourist destination full of historical and natural charm. Here are some recommended attractions and activities: Ming Tombs: This is the burial site of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors and one of Beijing's famous attractions. Changling Tomb, Dingling Tomb, and Zhaoling Tomb are the main mausoleums open to visitors, where you can experience the history and culture of the Ming Dynasty. Juyongguan Great Wall: Known as the "First Pass Under Heaven," it is an important strategic point along the Great Wall. Every spring, the sea of flowers at Juyongguan Great Wall attracts many visitors. The peach and apricot blossoms create a beautiful scene against the backdrop of the Great Wall. European Town: This is a European-style tourist district perfect for family visits. It offers various specialty snacks and entertainment facilities, including a children's playground and camping sites. Agricultural Carnival: Held every April, this event combines flower viewing, technology, and farming culture. Visitors can admire various flowers and participate in fruit-picking activities. Changping District has other attractions worth visiting, such as the China Aviation Museum, Wendu Water City, and Mang Mountain National Forest Park. Each of these attractions has its own unique features suitable for visitors with different interests. When traveling, it's recommended to check the opening hours and ticket information in advance to better plan your trip. Also, pay attention to weather changes and choose appropriate clothing and equipment. Hope you have a pleasant journey in Changping!

Ming Tombs Changling: The Eternal Imprint of the Yongle Flourishing Age of the Ming Dynasty Changling is the first of the Ming Tombs. It is the joint tomb of Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty and Empress Renxiaowen, Xu Shi. It is located at the southern foot of the main peak of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing. It was built in the seventh year of Yongle (1409). The mausoleum covers an area of approximately 120,000 square meters. Changling is one of the three largest imperial tombs in the Ming Tombs. It was built the earliest, and the mausoleum is large in scale. The plane layout is in the shape of a square in the front and a circle in the back. The square part in the front consists of three interconnected courtyards. Changling uses strict materials, meticulous construction, huge projects, and long construction time. The underground palace alone took four years. Emperor Zhu Di chose the mausoleum site at the same time as he built the imperial palace in Beijing, and it was completed in the eleventh year of Yongle (1413). The ground buildings were basically completed in March of the second year of Xuande (1427). 📍Attraction address Changling is located at the north of the intersection of Huaichang Road and Changchi Road, Shisanling Town, Changping District, Beijing. It is located at the southern foot of the main peak of Tianshou Mountain. It is the largest and most well-preserved royal mausoleum in the Ming Tombs. 🚗Attraction transportation Self-driving: Take the Jingzang Expressway (G6) to Changping Xiguan Roundabout, turn into Jingyin Road and go straight north, passing the Stone Archway, Zongshen Road, and Qikong Bridge to reach it. The whole journey takes about 1 hour. Public transportation: Take bus No. 872 from Deshengmen and go directly to Changling; or take the Changping subway line to Nanshao Station, transfer to Chang 1/22 to Changping Dongguan, and then transfer to 314. Tip: The "Shisanling Scenic Area Station" of the subway is far from Changling. It is recommended to choose a bus or drive for more convenience. 👍️Must-see attractions 1. Ling'en Hall The highest-level wooden structure building in the Ming Dynasty, with a width of nine rooms and a depth of five rooms, 60 giant golden nanmu pillars stand upright, and the hall displays a bronze statue of Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di and replicas of Ming Dynasty cultural relics, showing the royal style. 2. Ming Tower and Baocheng Baocheng is a circular mound with a diameter of 300m. You can overlook the entire mausoleum area from the top. Inside the Ming Tower stands a stone tablet of "Tomb of Emperor Chengzu Wen", which is still clear after years of wind and rain. 3. Zongshen Road (Sacred Road) The main road of the mausoleum area is 7.3 km long. There are stone archways, stone statues (more than 30 stone figures and animals), and the Stele Pavilion of Divine Merit and Holy Virtue along the way, showing the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty stone carving art. 🎟️Ticket information - Changling: CNY 45/person for adults, half price for students and the elderly, and free for those over 60 (reservation required). - Joint ticket: including Changling, Dingling, Zhaoling and Shenlu, CNY 110/person, which is more cost-effective. - Reservation: All tourists are advised to purchase tickets through official channels in advance to avoid queuing on site. 💗Other tips 1. Length of visit: It is recommended to arrange 3–4 hours to experience the historical heritage in depth. 2. Dining: There are few restaurants in the scenic area. You can bring your own water and snacks. The Kangling Village spring pancake banquet and Changling Village Helao banquet are worth a try around the area. 3. Opening hours: Peak season (April–October) 8:30–17:30, off-season (November–March) 8:30–17:00. Note that admission stops 1 hour before closing. 4. Historical background: Changling was built in the seventh year of Yongle (1409). It is the joint tomb of Zhu Di and Empress Xu. It took 18 years to complete. Its "front court and back bedroom" layout became a model for imperial tombs in the Ming Dynasty. Changling is not only a treasure of architectural art, but also a key to decoding the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty. Standing in front of the Ling'en Hall, the fragrance of golden nanmu seems to travel through 600 years, telling the legend of Emperor Yongle moving the capital to Beijing and going to the West seven times. If you are fond of Ming history, this place will definitely make your trip worthwhile.

🌟Highlights: The Ming Changling Mausoleum is the first mausoleum of the Ming Thirteen Tombs. It is the joint burial tomb of Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di and Empress Renxiaowen Xu. It is located on the southern foot of the main peak of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing. It was built in the seventh year of Yongle (1409). ❤Recommendation reason: The Ming Changling covers an area of ​​about 120,000 square meters, making it the largest of the Thirteen Tombs. The overall layout is "front and back circle". It includes the mausoleum gate, god treasury, god kitchen, stele pavilion, Zun'en Gate, Zun'en Hall, Lingxing Gate, Treasure City, Ming Tower, etc. 👍Most Recommended: Baocheng is made of bricks, round in shape, with battlements on top, and shaped like a castle. Inside is a tall mound, below which is the location of the underground palace. There is a gate in the center of the south side of Baocheng, which leads to Minglou. The roof is a double-eaved hip-and-gable style with yellow tubular tiles, and the word "Changling" is inscribed on the plaque under the eaves. There is a stele in the middle of the building with the Chinese characters "Da Ming" written in seal script on the top and "The Tomb of Emperor Chengzu Wen" engraved on the body of the stele. 📝Note tips: [1:00] Peak season opening hours: 8:00-17:30 (April 1 to October 31) [1:30] Off-season opening hours: 8:30-17:00 (November 1 to March 31 of the following year)

The Ming Tombs are the leading tombs among the Ming Dynasty's thirteen tombs, serving as the joint burial site for Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di and Empress Xu. Located on the southern foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing, they were constructed in the seventh year of the Yongle era (1409). The tomb complex covers an area of 120,000 square meters. The Ming Tombs have the largest architectural scale among the thirteen tombs, with the earliest construction time and a grand layout. The plan is rectangular in the front and circular at the back. The rectangular part in front consists of three connected courtyards. The Ming Tombs were built with exquisite materials and fine workmanship, involving a vast and prolonged construction period. The underground palace alone took four years to complete. The Ming Tombs were chosen by Zhu Di while he was also constructing the imperial palace in Beijing, and were completed in the thirteenth year of Yongle (1413). The above-ground structures were essentially finished by the second year of Xuande (March 1427). The above-ground structures of the Ming Tombs are the most well-preserved architectural complex among the thirteen tombs, with auxiliary halls, Ming towers, and treasure tops all intact. The Ling'en Hall of the Ming Tombs is where the succeeding emperors worshipped Emperor Yongle. The hall is built on a three-tiered platform carved from white marble, with floors paved in golden bricks. The hall is nine bays wide (66.56 meters) and five bays deep (29.12 meters), symbolizing the emperor's supreme status of 'Nine-Five.' All the timber used for the major halls is golden phoebe, exuding an ancient charm. Sixty golden phoebe columns, each over one meter in diameter and several meters tall, support the double-eaved roof covering more than 2,300 square meters, creating a majestic and unparalleled sight. The thickest of these columns is a rare sight in the world, standing 12.58 meters tall with a base diameter of 1.124 meters. Therefore, the Ling'en Hall is a major highlight of the Ming Tombs. Address: Changchi Road, Changping District, Beijing Opening hours: 8:30—16:30 Open all year round

Ming Changling is the head of the Ming Tombs. It is the burial tomb of Ming Chengzu Zhu Xi and his queen Xu. It has the largest construction scale in the Ming Tombs and the best preserved ground buildings. Like Dingling, there are not many people in Changling Mausoleum, and there will be no crowded scenes. Unfortunately, due to various technical reasons, Changlings underground palace has not been excavated for a while, until one day conditions are ripe, perhaps It also allows everyone to see the true meaning of "Yongle Dadian" but some people think that the mausoleum should not be excavated. what do y'all think?