Designated a World Heritage site in 2003, the Ming Tombs (Ming Shisanling) are located in a valley about thirty miles northwest of Beijing. Thirteen of the sixteen of the Ming Dynasty emperors are buried here.
From site choice to the tomb architecture, the principles of feng shui guided the design of the Ming Tomb complex. An auspicious site for a tomb should be facing south, and should also have mountains to the rear of the tomb, which was why the mountains near Beijing were chosen by the emperors for their tombs.
