The Ming Tombs Reopen Just in Time for Tomb-Sweeping Day

With the arrival of good weather and a three-day weekend in aid of Tomb-Sweeping Day, most of us are raring to get out about after weeks of being cooped up. Unfortunately, leaving Beijing is not an option for anyone who doesn't want to redo their 14-day quarantine, and most of us don't have access to ancestral tombs, so the ancient Ming Tombs make for a decent stand-in. That fact apparently hasn't been lost on the local tourism board, who will reopen the sight on Apr 4.

General info

The Ming Tombs reopen on Saturday, Apr 4 from 9am to 4pm. Tickets cost RMB 30 for adults and RMB 15 for children 6-18 years old and full-time university students. Children under six can enter for free. Visitors also require a valid ID (passports for foreigners) to enter.

As is the case with most parks and tourism sites, some restrictions apply: visitor capacity is capped at 30 percent, your temperature will be taken and masks must be worn throughout your visit, and you must maintain a one-meter distance with others.

Why you should go

Located in Beijing's northwesterly Changping District, the Ming Tombs UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of China's best-preserved Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD) historical sites. Encompassing the tombs of 13 Ming dynasty emperors, the site was chosen by the Yongle Emperor (who also oversaw the building of the Forbidden City) for its auspicious feng shui properties and was buried there upon his death in 1424.

The subsequent emperors followed suit, all the way up to the Chongzhen Emperor, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty, who was buried there after hanging himself from a tree in Jingshan Park. He was laid to rest in the tomb of his concubine, Consort Tian.

How to get there

The easiest way to access the tombs is via bus 872 to Dingling and Changling leaving from Deshengmen bus station. A taxi from downtown will cost around RMB 100.

For more information in Chinese, as well as for details of the nearby Juyongguan Great Wall, which also reopens from tomorrow, read this post. For in-depth reading on the Ming Tombs' history and iconography, click here.

READ: Beijing Zoo Reopens Public Areas

Image: Justgola, Wikipedia, China Discovery