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Ming Tombs are located in a small basin with the area of around 
40 square kilometres at the south foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, where the mausoleums of 13 emperors, 23 empresses, and numerous secondary consorts, ladies-in-waiting, princes and princesses of the Ming Dynasty are distributed in picturesque disorder. Later generations call them "Thirteen Tombs of Ming Dynasty". Tian Shou Hill, which is very high and quite steep, forms the backdrop for a deep, secluded ravine filled with lovely green trees. All around in a shallow basin are the thirteen tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors. The location of the tombs was chosen with great care and involved the art of divination to assure the most suitable final resting place for the emperors and empresses. The site selected had to have protection from the north, where evil spirits emanate from, and also had to have a natural, adequate water supply.
The Ming Dynasty had a total of seventeen emperors but only thirteen are buried here. Emperor Cheng Zu (Yong Le) was the first of the Ming emperors to choose this site although the third Ming Emperor. His tomb is considered the "chief tomb" and the others were built, one by one, around it. As a giant project, construction of the Ming Tombs lasted over 200 years (1409 to 1644). Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the Ming Tombs look over the Beijing plain. Previously, tomb area was encircled by a wall with two gates, ten passes and watchtowers furnished.
A divine path was built along the 7km-long south-to-north central axis 
of the tomb area, which is as long as over 20 miles, very magnificent. Dagong Gate is the mate gate of the whole mausoleum with Tiger Mountain and Dragon Mountain respectively standing on the left and right sides, like two guards. A stone stele was established on the right side of the gate to remind whoppers to get down from the horse and then enter the mausoleum on foot.
All the thirteen imperial tombs are characterized by same architectural style and similar general layout with square front part and round rear part. Slight differences only exist in size and architectural decoration. The most majestic tomb among the thirteen tombs is Changling. The most exquisite one is Yongling, The smallest one is Siling. The thirteen tombs present a perfect unity while each one has a complete system of its own. Main attractions among them are Changling - the most majestic one and Dingling whose underground palaces have been unearthed.
Of the thirteen tombs, Ding Ling, the tomb of the fourteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Shen Zong, and Chang Ling, Emperor Cheng Zu's tomb, are the only ones that have been restored. Ding Ling is completely accessible with the tomb buildings renovated and the tomb itself excavated. At Chang Ling, the tomb buildings have been renovated but the tomb itself has yet to be excavated. The other eleven tombs have survived but are in severely damaged states.
Changling is the oldest, largest and well preserved one 
among the thirteen tombs. The inhumed are Zhu Di the third Emperor of Ming Dynasty whose reign title is Yong Le, and posthumous title is Cheng Zu, and Empress Xu Shi. The tomb began to be built in 1409, and took four years to complete. Lingen Hall, a location for performing sacrificing ceremonies, was built in 1427. Its ceiling is supported by sixteen undecorated nanmu posts with a height of 14 metres and a diametre of 1.17 metres each. It is the largest existing building of timber structure in China.
Xianling, built in 1426, is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Gaochi whose posthumous title is Ren Zong. As the fourth emperor of Ming Dynasty, he had been on the throne for barely nine months.
Jingling, built in 1435, is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Zhanji (1399 - 1435) whose posthumous title is Xuan Zong and Empress Sun Shi. He had been on the throne for ten years, and died at the age of 38. Yuling is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Qizhen (1427-1464) whose posthumous title is Ying Zong. He succeeded to the throne at the age of 9. However, he was captured when he personally led his soldiers to conquer a frontier tribe in 1449. After one year, he came back to Beijing, and restored the throne seven years later.
Maoling is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Jianshen (1447-1487) whose posthumous title is Xian Zong and three empresses. He is the eldest son of Ying Zong, and had been on the throne for twenty two years.
Zhaoling is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Zaihou whose posthumous title is Mu Zong and three empresses. He is the twelfth emperor of Ming Dynasty. With water in front and a hill at the back, the tomb is in an exquisite environment.
Dingling is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Yijun and two empresses. Zhu Yijun, with the posthumous title of Shen Zong, is the thirteenth Emperor of Ming Dynasty. His tomb began to be built in 1584, and took six years to complete. 30,000 soldiers and workmen were employed to construct this tomb, spending 8 million taels of silver. Excavation of Dingling Tomb was commenced in 1956, and completed in 1958 with a large quantity of valuable cultural relics unearthed. The unearthed Underground Place is an arched beamless masonry construction with white marble-carved gates furnished. Front hall of the palace is empty without any articles placed. In middle hall are three white marble-carved thrones and three "ever-burning lamps". A coffin bed is mounted in both left and right side halls, but without coffin placed. Rear hall is the largest hall of the Underground Place with finished marble floor, in which the emperor's coffin is placed on a bed, and two empresses' coffins are placed respectively on the left and right sides of it. Around the coffins are 26 red-lacquered chests full of treasures used for burial objects.
Ming Tombs are a national cultural heritage under special protection, a national key scenic and historic interest area, and listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.