As the sun was just about to set, we arrived at this Sacred Way or "Divine Road" as the Chinese called it. We loved being the only ones on the road and just enjoying the stroll through stone statues constructed in 1540 along a road which was used for the funeral processions of the emperors. The road is lined with 24 animals and 18 human statues. They are in pairs and after the pair across from each other that are standing, the next pair is resting for the changing of the guard. 
Just prior to going down the Sacred Way, we had actually been able to go into the Ming Tomb which is only one of two that are open to the public. Although he was buried in 1620, archeologists didn't know where the tomb's entrance was until 1956 when they found a stone slab telling where the diamond wall was located. This wall was composed of 56 layers of brick which sealed off the tomb. 
This was a pavilion which separated the emperor's tomb from the Sacred Way. Inside was a dragon-headed turtle with a Chinese tablet on its back telling all of the achievements of the emperor and poetry. 
As we got back on the bus, the kids saw a little lady who was gathering plastic bottles to make a little money for her family, I'm sure. The kids all hurriedly gathered all the left-over water bottles on the bus and put them in her basket. She just smiled and smiled! (I wish Kent could have helped her with her teeth, too!) 
No comments:
Post a Comment