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Imperial Tombs of the Ming & Qing Dynasties
 Beijing served as the national capital during the Yuan,
Ming and Qing dynasties. Unlike Yuan rulers who left no similar burial
grounds, Ming and Qing rulers all built massive tombs for themselves.
During the Ming Dynasty established by Han Chinese
coming from an agricultural society in central China, where people
believed the existence of an after-world, where the dead "lived" a
life similar to that of the living. Ming emperors, therefore, have
grand mausoleums built for themselves. Qing rulers did likewise.
Tombs of Ming Dynasty
(1368 - 1644)
 Known for its fine porcelains, a Chinese invention, the
Ming era is also one of important deeds. The emperors built the
Imperial Palace in Peking, reconstructed and extended the Great Wall,
and dispatched sea-going vessels to explore Southeast Asia and the Red
Sea. Ming society became a sophisticated urban and commercial one,
dominated by highly cultivated literati and prosperous merchants.
The exhibition objects of this dynasty came from the
Dingling Tomb of the Wanli Emperor and from the Imperial Household.
The tomb, one of thirteen in the area, is an elaborate series of
chambers and halls. The necropolis is approached by a 1,155 yard long
sacred way lined with marble memorial pillars and sculptures of
animals and human figures. At present only the tomb of the Wanli
Emperor has been excavated and 2,648 funerary objects have been
removed, including the spectacular headdress with the design of nine
dragons and nine phoenixes of Empress Xiaoduan. Also in the exhibition
there are several examples of Ming porcelain, including an example of
the classic blue and white wares. The porcelains of this period are
considered to be among the finest achievements in Chinese art.
Although not a tomb piece, the Golden Pagoda on Stone Base is one of
the few Buddhist works in the exhibition. It was excavated from an
underground vault of a pagoda and reflects the spiritual life and
faith in Buddhism that continued to flourish during this time.
Tombs of Qing Dynasty
(1644 - 1911)
 "Chinese objects and themes had a lasting influence on
European art..."
From the north, the Manchus invaded and set up the last
Imperial dynasty, the Qing. During the reign of Emperor Kang Xi
(1661-1722), Chinese influence was extended to Mongolia, central Asia,
Tibet, Korea, Annam, Burma, and Thailand. By the 19th century the
dynasty had gone into decline from adherence to obsolete ways,
corruption within, and the opium trade with Europe. For the first 150
years of their rule, the Manchus gave China good government and strong
leadership. In the eighteenth century, China attained the last golden
age of the Imperial tradition and was very likely the most
awe-inspiring state in the world. Its principles of governance and
social organization were so admired by Voltaire and other western
intellectuals that Confucianism became a much-studied philosophy in
Europe. Chinese objects and themes had a lasting influence on European
art, literature, architecture, gardens and decor.
An Imperial palace rather than a tomb was the final
resting place for the objects shown from this Dynasty. Most of these
ornate, colorful works were created during the Emperor Qianlong era
(1736-1795). The colors, yellow and gold predominate, and the main
motifs include the dragon, phoenix, immortal cranes, plants and
flowers which, according to Chinese tradition, all allude to wealth,
nobility, and auspicious. Palace furnishings and decorative objects
along with garments such as the Apricot Yellow Kesi Silk Court Robe
for Empress are
 excellent examples of an art that provides today's
viewers an under-standing of the ceremonies and lifestyle of the Qing
Dynasty palace.
In 1911 revolutionary groups, inspired by Dr. Sun
Yat-sen, a Western-educated physician, succeeded in overthrowing the
Qing, bringing to an end more than 2,000 years of intermittent
Imperial rule by eight major dynasties.
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