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Published: September 2nd 2008
MING TOMBS
Today is my last day in Nanjing, and I’ve decided to return to Purple Mountain. My feet still hurt from all the walking I did yesterday, so I’m going to try to take it easy — no small feat when you consider how spread out attractions are on Purple Mountain.
I spend the morning writing, eat leftovers and noodles for lunch, then strike out. My first action is to catch a cab. I point out the Ming Tombs in my guidebook to him and off we go. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the tombs, and costs 20 RMB. I’m glad to be dropped off directly at the main gate.
I am here, specifically, to see the Sacred Walkway and the stone animals that guard it. The images captured my imagination when I read about the place in my guidebook. Just as I’d thought, it was impressive. These 600-year-old animals have been worn by the wind and rain, but they still stand tall. The elephants tower above, while the horses are low enough to encourage teenage boys to climb on up. The walkway actually goes to both the right and left when you enter. On the
About the Ming Tombs
Although much of it is derelict having been destroyed by invaders, the site is the home of several tombs, including that of Ming Xio Ling, also known as Hongwu. The first Ming emperor, he commissioned that the Nanjing city walls be built.right are the animals; on the left are people. The site in unusual in that the path to the tombs isn’t straight, but instead curves along the contours of the mountain. The first section, called Stone Elephant Road, is 615 meters long. There are six kinds of stone animals there, including lions, Xiezhi, camels, elephants, unicorns and horses. Each statue was carved out of a whole piece of stone. According to signs at the site: “They not only indicate the loftiness, sanctity and glamour of the imperial tomb, but also achieve a symbolic effect of guarding the tomb against evil spirits and showing ritual customs.”
Signs near each animals explained its particular significance. The unicorn, for example, is an auspicious creature of ancient Chinese fantasy. It integrates features of the tiger, lion, ox and dragon. As legend goes, it appeared only in the reign of a benevolent and wise emperor. Therefore, no one except the emperor had one sitting outside his tomb.
Birds — or perhaps they are grasshoppers — sound out a chorus that fills the entire air. They are so loud, I am amazed. They are in the entire place, from the walkway to the wooded
Sacred Way
This avenue of sacred statutes of animals and officials is impressive. It does not run north to south, but winds around the hillside. The section with animals ends far from the tombs, while the one with officials heads straight there. park to the buildings.
The section of pathway I take ends abruptly and I don’t see any tomb in front of me. I check my map and realize the buildings are to the left of me and I strike off on small trails that wind through a wooded park. I cross over a stream on round stepping stones and decide the small pavilion just in front of me would make a great place to sit a spell and read. A spend a few hours there, reading “McGregor Brides” by Nora Roberts. It’s a wonderful, sappy book about falling in love. When I rise I’m in need of a water closet, and follow the signs.
MOST PRIMITIVE BATHROOM YET
I’m downright shocked by what I find. There are three stalls with walls that rise about 3 feet. There are no doors. There is no toilet, and not even one of those in-ground holes I’ve come to recognize. No, here there is a trough about 8 inches wide that I assume you squat over. There is no lever for flushing, no just a trough with water about 5 feet down. When I wash my hands on the far end, the
Significance of animal
Signs explaining the significance of each animal were posted periodically along the pathway. water runs through the trough and cleans it slightly. At least there is no odor.
I’m glad I’ve taken to keeping Kleenex in my purse and wet wipes in my backpack. I need them.
WHERE ARE THE TOMBS?
I keep my eyes open for tombstones, blocks of granite like we have at home or the intricately-carved stone pieces that rise high above like in Ireland. Or even crypts like they have in New Orleans. Nothing. Was anyone actually buried here? According to the signs, the first Ming Emperor, Hongwu (also called Zhu Yuanzhang) was, but I can’t tell where. There are buildings here, some with statutes and another with details about his life, but no discernible tomb.
It was Hongwu who initiated the construction of the Ming Tombs in 1381. Work lasted for 32 years, and the first Ming emperor was buried here in 1398. The place created a standard that was then followed by subsequent Ming and Qing Dynasties. This place is now honored as a cultural relic by the government and is on the World Heritage List.
it was once much more grand. The farthest building I saw is but half of what it
once was. Stone tiers lead up to it, and the remains of huge stone pillars remain, cut off at the ground. The site was destroyed by conquestors in later years, and then rebuilt. Why did intruders and later rulers always feel the urge to destroy what had gone on before? In the Mayan world, new rulers completely built over the structures prior rulers had erected, hiding the past glory under their own. I don’t see why we can’t honor the past while working hard to accomplish things today.
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW
I head out of the Ming Tombs by way of the other half of the Sacred Walkway. While this one ends with an elaborate entry, I prefer the animal section. I catch a cab within a few minutes, and head to the nearby cable car ride. I have a hankering to climb the mountain without taking all day to do it. A ride will be the perfect thing. I buy a ticket for 60 RMB and then begin climbing stairs to where the ride begins. I’m still not sure when they didn’t string the line to the road. The Chinese seem to prefer to make people walk
long distances to get from the gate to the attractions. I pass empty buildings that look like they were modeled off European castles. It’s a bit disconcerting and out of place here in the woods. I don’t pass anyone else as I walk up. My only sign that I’ve arrived is the presence of a few workers. The cable car is just like a ski lift, and I get on easily. I’m not quite sure how I’ll get off without being able to slide downhill on skies though. Does a person have to run? I guess I’ll see.
The ride is much, much longer than I anticipated. In fact, to get from top to bottom it takes an hour. I reached a building and expected to be done, but discovered I was only halfway up. I had hoped to see a spectacular view of the mountain and the city, but the smog shrouded everything beyond 1/2 mile. I passed few other riders, but each waved.
I WILL DIE OUT HERE
I expected to be able to catch a cab easily at the bottom of the hill. Oh, how wrong I was. I’m still not sure what went wrong,
but the next 1 1/2 hours of my life were pure hell. On the way down the hill, I slammed a bottle of water, confident that I’d be back at the hotel within a half hour. (I try to time my water breaks as to when I’ll be around restrooms.) I thought I had lucked out when I saw a cab driver waiting at the bottom. He ushered me away, and told me to take a bridge pathway that headed down the mountain. I tried to walk back to the road instead, but he insisted I do as he instructed. I must have walked on that bridge for 1/2 hour or more, traversing down the entire mountain. I could view the road, but few taxis passed and when they did, they were full already. I found a public bathroom — finally — at the bottom of the hill. I couldn’t figure out what the attendant was waving her arms about until I walked out and saw she was collecting money. It cost .50 RMB — well worth it, although it sure did stink.
I passed a sign for a kayak/slalom course and wish I would have realized it was
Stepping stones
The section with animals led me to a spacious park full of small pavilions, that followed winding streams. It was a great place to sit and read a Nora Robert's book. there earlier in the day. This particular attraction hadn’t been mentioned in my guidebook.
I kept walking, past a golf course and a parking lot full of buses. I was finally at an intersection with a 6-lane road. It was busy. Surely, I could catch a cab here. I saw one drop off passengers. This was my chance. I dashed over to the road, narrowly missed being creamed by a bicyclist, and hopped in. I showed him my card which gave the directions to the hotel. He shook his head. He kept shaking his head and didn’t begin driving, until I finally got out. I hailed another cab. Same story. But at least this one motioned for me to cross the street. I wasn’t entirely sure where I was; couldn’t they turn around on this road?
Completely frustrated, I crossed over, and then walked down a few blocks to a corner. I stood there for 15 minutes or so, unable to find an empty cab. Oh, sure, many drove past, but all were full. I walked farther down, then saw one pulling aside where I had just been. I walked back up, but although the passengers got out
Does this qualify as a bathroom?
This was the most primitive bathroom I'd yet used, with nothing but a trough of water you squatted over. Surprisingly, it was one of the least smelly. initially, for some reason they got back in. I was ready to cry. Apparently, this was the Nanjing rush hour. Of all the days for Jesse to have taken back my cell phone. I envisioned never making it back to the hotel. How would he look for me? Would he ever find me? I had no choice but to keep walking, hoping I was heading back into the city and would end up near my hotel. At the next intersection, I stood and waited a bit. Again, many cabs passed, but all were taken. I stepped towards one that was emptying, but another passengers got there ahead of me. I was getting desperate by now; I had to pee again and was starving. I didn’t know my feet and knees could hurt this bad. The backpack dug into my shoulders, and my head was pounding with the pollution ache that never went away.
Finally, finally, finally, I managed to find an empty cab. I sank into the back seat, and just barely held back the tears. What an ordeal.
When I walked back into room 5211 I expected Jesse to be worried. But the lights were off. He
wasn’t home yet. When he did finally get home 15 minutes later, he was beat. It took him 2 hours to get back from work. Apparently, there was confusion regarding his driver again because of his boss being in town. (The day before, his driver didn’t show to pick him up for work, and he arrived a few hours late after waiting for another shuttle.) So he was shuffled around and paired with the driver that went first to the Fraisier hotel, then a co-worker’s home (because he had a parting gift for Jesse), and finally back to our hotel in the Chinese rush hour.
TEPONYAKI AND SHABU SHABU
We were both shot, but needed dinner and then had to pack. We hit up a Teponyaki place down the street. I had the beef teponyaki - so tender. The soup and cooked vegetables were good, too. Jesse ordered the shabu shabu, although he wasn’t sure what it was. Our waiter led us from the table we’d collapsed at to an oval bar. In front of each diner there was a pot of boiling water on a hotpot. A plate of vegetable and then one of thinly, sliced raw lamb
arrived. By watching the other diners, Jesse learned he was to put the raw vegetables and meat into the boiling liquid to cook it. A Chinese woman in her 50s pointed out the dish with minced garlic and a green sauce. He was to give his food flavor by dipping it in the sauce. I tasted a bit, and it was good. Jesse doesn’t think he’ll order this type of meal again, however.
As we left, he headed across the street to buy an ice cream bar from a street vendor. We hit up those clothing stores I’d been at the day before because I wanted one more of the shirts that looked good on me (and didn’t make it look as though I was wearing a burlap sack), and Jesse wanted a few short-sleeve dress shirts.
Back at the hotel, we packed up. It was a bit faster this time because I’d done laundry the day before and we hadn’t really unpacked since coming back from Shanghai. I sure was ready for bed.
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