The Ming Tombs are a group of 13 tombs of the emperors of the Ming dynasty, and some of them now welcome tourists each and every day, including Changling, Dingling and Zhaoling. In addition, the way that once led to the 13 tombs is also open to the public now. It is called Sacred Way.

The Sacred Way is located behind a small but exquisitely built red palace gate. As soon as you enter the gate, you will see a stele pavilion in which there is a large stele. The Chinese characters on the stele can be literally translated as Sacred Achievement and Holy Virtue Stele. Near this pavilion lies a large stone turtle which weighs 30 tons and carry a 6.5-meter-tall blue-stone stele on its back.

As you walk north, you will see the Sacred Way. What guard the way are a number of stone-carved statues lying on either side of the way. These statues are originated in the sacred animals of Chinese myth and real life, including lions, camels, Chinese unicorns, horses and so on.

The Sacred Way stretched as long as 7 km in the past, which was really incredible. Even today when you visit the stone-paved road guarded by stone-carved sacred animals, it is really of great interest.

Admission: 35 RMB

Getting there: Take Subway Line 13 to Longze (龙泽站), and transfer to Bus No. 878 to Nanxin Village (南新村).