Travel China - Day 2 Ming Tombs Great Wall

China - Day 2 Ming Tombs Great Wall · **2 Likes**

Day two saw us on excursions to the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall. First however was a stopoff at a Jade factory for an opportunity to purchase some local artifacts. Such opportunities turned out to be a common feature of our tour. I expect the tour company gets some commission for any purchases made. While we resisted for the most part it was nonetheless fascinating to see some of the extraordinary workmanship.

At a Jade outlet I saw this massive carving comprising some 94 individual horses made from a single piece of multi-coloured jade. It took a single craftsman over 3 years to carve. It is valued at a lazy $1.8 million US, including delivery. Sadly I had to pass on this, but here is but a small section of it. The mind boggles at the scale and workman ship of this piece. More so, how could a man, seeing a great lump of rock "see" the 94 horses within and set about carving them.

Next stop, the Ming Tombs.

There are many tombs in the area and only one or two are open to the public. This one comprises a series of pavilions and gates leading to the burial mound. The circular area surrounding the burial mound is not open to the public.

.

The "Hall of Eminent Favour" viewed from the "Soul Tower" with the "Ling Xing" gate in the foreground.

The "Soul Tower" with the "Fiver Offerings"

View of nearby mountains from the "Soul Tower" The Great Wall is behind this mountain range.

A short lunch break and brief tour of a local Cloisonné factory and outlet. Cloisonné is an ancient art involving intricate enamel designs on a copper base. Amongst the many treasures there, I found an old friend, a sulphur crested cockatoo. All the lines and borders of this are formed from fine copper wires soldered onto a copper vase.

The Great Wall

A highly anticipated highlight of the trip. Despite all I have read and all the photos and documentaries seen, nothing can prepare on for the sheer scale of this thing even bearing in mind we are seeing but a very small fraction of it's length.

A hand held pano . (Oh I missed a tripod)

Of course we had to take a walk along it. Nothing could prepare me for the steepness of it. Stairways up to 70 degrees in parts and uneven heights had me utterly stuffed by the time I reached the second level. Then to contemplate the treacherous descent.

The detail of the thing is simply awesome. If you look closely at the above picture you can see small dots below the ramparts. These are "portholes" I presume for some defensive purpose. (Archers or boiling oil is my guess) On the inside each of these has a moustache like carving on the brick above it. How many of this type of brick alone were needed?

Not for the first and certainly not for the last time on this trip I was blown away by the sheer scale of things. Sadly too little time to take it all in.

Na Horuk · 04-26-2014, 08:35 PM

Great series! You really captured the beauty of the Chinese cultural artifacts, architecture. The horse sculpture is great and the landscape with the structures is awesome, too

**wtlwdwgn** · 04-26-2014, 09:00 PM

Great job on these travel images. Terrific details on that vase. The second image of the Great Wall gives a good indication of its scale. TFS.

noelpolar · 04-27-2014, 02:38 AM

I loved China when I was there last year...... did you go on a Nexus tour?

**marosari00** · 04-27-2014, 02:47 AM

Feeling jealous! Enjoy.

**Bruce Clark** · 04-27-2014, 02:49 AM

Originally posted by noelpolar

I loved China when I was there last year...... did you go on a Nexus tour?

Yes,it was Nexus. They did a great job. My only regret was too little time and so much ground to cover.

noelpolar · 04-27-2014, 03:16 AM

Originally posted by Bruce Clark

Yes,it was Nexus. They did a great job. My only regret was too little time and so much ground to cover.

My wife got sucked in at one of the outlets....bought $2,000 of chinese medicine!..... so much for cheap holiday........she did allow me to buy a new lens to take with me to Photograph the Terracota Warriors though...

RobG · 04-27-2014, 04:09 AM

Great photos! I'd love to see the Great Wall.

Aerlind · 04-27-2014, 02:04 PM

Love the photos! I missed the Ming Tombs on my trip, so it's nice to see parts of China I haven't! (Which is a lot of China. I've only seen the major tourist traps. And the insides of concert halls.)

The great wall photos are really neat! It's interesting to contrast the seasons. I was there in June (2010) and it was so, so green: (my hand-held pano, on a point-and-shoot that leaves quality to be desired...)

Anyway, I can relate to the climb. While I wasn't winded (the wall is closer to sea level than Colorado, so I had plenty of oxygen for my high-altitude system), it was about 110 degrees with 100% humidity, and I had very little water.

Again, excited to see more from your trip!

**Bruce Clark** · 04-27-2014, 03:52 PM

Originally posted by noelpolar

My wife got sucked in at one of the outlets....bought $2,000 of chinese medicine!..... so much for cheap holiday........she did allow me to buy a new lens to take with me to Photograph the Terracota Warriors though...

Expensive lens but probably worth it. I really felt I needed something much wider than the 18-55 WR at times.

Originally posted by marosari00

Feeling jealous! Enjoy.

If you get a chance - go

Originally posted by wtlwdwgn

Great job on these travel images. Terrific details on that vase. The second image of the Great Wall gives a good indication of its scale. TFS.

Thanks. I too think that showed the perspective better than the others.

Originally posted by Na Horuk

Great series! You really captured the beauty of the Chinese cultural artifacts, architecture. The horse sculpture is great and the landscape with the structures is awesome, too

Thank you. So much to see and so very little time.

Originally posted by RobG

Great photos! I'd love to see the Great Wall.

Worth the trip on it's own. The scale of the thing is just unbelievable.

Originally posted by Aerlind

Love the photos! I missed the Ming Tombs on my trip, so it's nice to see parts of China I haven't! (Which is a lot of China. I've only seen the major tourist traps. And the insides of concert halls.)

The great wall photos are really neat! It's interesting to contrast the seasons. I was there in June (2010) and it was so, so green: (my hand-held pano, on a point-and-shoot that leaves quality to be desired...)

Anyway, I can relate to the climb. While I wasn't winded (the wall is closer to sea level than Colorado, so I had plenty of oxygen for my high-altitude system), it was about 110 degrees with 100% humidity, and I had very little water.

Again, excited to see more from your trip!

One would need a lifetime or two to see it all. A hot day would have killed me. My son however climbed to the top on both directions. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

**Sailor** · 04-27-2014, 04:26 PM

What spectacular photos - great stuff!!

Jer

**Bruce Clark** · 04-27-2014, 10:54 PM

Originally posted by Sailor

What spectacular photos - great stuff!!

Jer

Thanks Jer, I will post some more tonight

Chrysanthemum · 04-18-2015, 08:57 AM

Hello, could you tell me where you found the vase with the cockatoo? I bought a similar one in San Diego and gave it away as a gift. I should have kept it. I want the one you found or one similar to it.
I appreciate your beautiful photos.
Thanks,
Gloria

tim60 · 04-18-2015, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by Bruce Clark

The Great Wall

The detail of the thing is simply awesome. If you look closely at the above picture you can see small dots below the ramparts. These are "portholes" I presume for some defensive purpose. (Archers or boiling oil is my guess) On the inside each of these has a moustache like carving on the brick above it. How many of this type of brick alone were needed?

l in.

I think the moustache-like motif is a dragon face motif - the curly bit is the nostrils.

Certainly the motif is frequent from at least early 1st millennium BC. (The National Palace Museum in Taipei is curated very well to present that kind of historical perspective.)

**Bruce Clark** · 04-18-2015, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by Chrysanthemum

Hello, could you tell me where you found the vase with the cockatoo? I bought a similar one in San Diego and gave it away as a gift. I should have kept it. I want the one you found or one similar to it.
I appreciate your beautiful photos.
Thanks,
Gloria

Thanks for your kind words. I can't recall exactly where it was except it was in a Cloisonné factory somewhere close to the Ming tombs and the Great wall about an hour or two out of Beijing. I can make some enquiries . Hopefully some of our groups may have retained a brochure.

---------- Post added 19-04-15 at 09:04 AM ----------

Originally posted by tim60

I think the moustache-like motif is a dragon face motif - the curly bit is the nostrils.

Certainly the motif is frequent from at least early 1st millennium BC. (The National Palace Museum in Taipei is curated very well to present that kind of historical perspective.)

Thanks for the information, this pattern was very common in many places. It is good to know the origin of it.

Bruce Clark
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by Bruce Clark
	Find threads started by Bruce Clark
	Find threads in which Bruce Clark has posted

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Travel China Day 1 - Beijing	Bruce Clark	Post Your Photos!	7	04-24-2014 12:12 AM
Getting fed up with the Great Firewall of China	fractal	General Talk	60	06-05-2009 09:50 PM
China Day fireworks	robot_kid	Post Your Photos!	5	10-08-2008 01:39 AM
The Great Wall	xs400	Post Your Photos!	9	06-04-2008 08:20 PM
Great Wall of China	pop4	Post Your Photos!	8	05-07-2008 01:02 AM

04-26-2014, 08:35 PM	#2
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Great series! You really captured the beauty of the Chinese cultural artifacts, architecture. The horse sculpture is great and the landscape with the structures is awesome, too

04-26-2014, 09:00 PM	#3
wtlwdwgn Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings, MT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,838	Great job on these travel images. Terrific details on that vase. The second image of the Great Wall gives a good indication of its scale. TFS.

04-27-2014, 02:38 AM	#4
noelpolar Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Goolwa, SA Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,310	I loved China when I was there last year...... did you go on a Nexus tour?

04-27-2014, 02:47 AM	#5
marosari00 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Melbourne, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 147	Feeling jealous! Enjoy.

04-27-2014, 02:49 AM	#6
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458 Original Poster	Originally posted by noelpolar I loved China when I was there last year...... did you go on a Nexus tour? Yes,it was Nexus. They did a great job. My only regret was too little time and so much ground to cover.

04-27-2014, 03:16 AM	#7
noelpolar Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Goolwa, SA Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by Bruce Clark Yes,it was Nexus. They did a great job. My only regret was too little time and so much ground to cover. My wife got sucked in at one of the outlets....bought $2,000 of chinese medicine!..... so much for cheap holiday........she did allow me to buy a new lens to take with me to Photograph the Terracota Warriors though...

04-27-2014, 04:09 AM	#8
RobG Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,891	Great photos! I'd love to see the Great Wall.

04-27-2014, 02:04 PM	#9
Aerlind Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Colorado Posts: 116	Love the photos! I missed the Ming Tombs on my trip, so it's nice to see parts of China I haven't! (Which is a lot of China. I've only seen the major tourist traps. And the insides of concert halls.) The great wall photos are really neat! It's interesting to contrast the seasons. I was there in June (2010) and it was so, so green: (my hand-held pano, on a point-and-shoot that leaves quality to be desired...) Anyway, I can relate to the climb. While I wasn't winded (the wall is closer to sea level than Colorado, so I had plenty of oxygen for my high-altitude system), it was about 110 degrees with 100% humidity, and I had very little water. Again, excited to see more from your trip!

04-27-2014, 03:52 PM	#10
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458 Original Poster	Originally posted by noelpolar My wife got sucked in at one of the outlets....bought $2,000 of chinese medicine!..... so much for cheap holiday........she did allow me to buy a new lens to take with me to Photograph the Terracota Warriors though... Expensive lens but probably worth it. I really felt I needed something much wider than the 18-55 WR at times. Originally posted by marosari00 Feeling jealous! Enjoy. If you get a chance - go Originally posted by wtlwdwgn Great job on these travel images. Terrific details on that vase. The second image of the Great Wall gives a good indication of its scale. TFS. Thanks. I too think that showed the perspective better than the others. Originally posted by Na Horuk Great series! You really captured the beauty of the Chinese cultural artifacts, architecture. The horse sculpture is great and the landscape with the structures is awesome, too Thank you. So much to see and so very little time. Originally posted by RobG Great photos! I'd love to see the Great Wall. Worth the trip on it's own. The scale of the thing is just unbelievable. Originally posted by Aerlind Love the photos! I missed the Ming Tombs on my trip, so it's nice to see parts of China I haven't! (Which is a lot of China. I've only seen the major tourist traps. And the insides of concert halls.) The great wall photos are really neat! It's interesting to contrast the seasons. I was there in June (2010) and it was so, so green: (my hand-held pano, on a point-and-shoot that leaves quality to be desired...) Anyway, I can relate to the climb. While I wasn't winded (the wall is closer to sea level than Colorado, so I had plenty of oxygen for my high-altitude system), it was about 110 degrees with 100% humidity, and I had very little water. Again, excited to see more from your trip! One would need a lifetime or two to see it all. A hot day would have killed me. My son however climbed to the top on both directions. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

04-27-2014, 04:26 PM	#11
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	What spectacular photos - great stuff!! Jer

04-27-2014, 10:54 PM	#12
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458 Original Poster	Originally posted by Sailor What spectacular photos - great stuff!! Jer Thanks Jer, I will post some more tonight

04-18-2015, 08:57 AM	#13
Chrysanthemum New Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 2	Hello, could you tell me where you found the vase with the cockatoo? I bought a similar one in San Diego and gave it away as a gift. I should have kept it. I want the one you found or one similar to it. I appreciate your beautiful photos. Thanks, Gloria

04-18-2015, 03:15 PM	#14
tim60 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 8,743	Originally posted by Bruce Clark The Great Wall The detail of the thing is simply awesome. If you look closely at the above picture you can see small dots below the ramparts. These are "portholes" I presume for some defensive purpose. (Archers or boiling oil is my guess) On the inside each of these has a moustache like carving on the brick above it. How many of this type of brick alone were needed? l in. I think the moustache-like motif is a dragon face motif - the curly bit is the nostrils. Certainly the motif is frequent from at least early 1st millennium BC. (The National Palace Museum in Taipei is curated very well to present that kind of historical perspective.)

04-18-2015, 04:00 PM	#15
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458 Original Poster	Originally posted by Chrysanthemum Hello, could you tell me where you found the vase with the cockatoo? I bought a similar one in San Diego and gave it away as a gift. I should have kept it. I want the one you found or one similar to it. I appreciate your beautiful photos. Thanks, Gloria Thanks for your kind words. I can't recall exactly where it was except it was in a Cloisonné factory somewhere close to the Ming tombs and the Great wall about an hour or two out of Beijing. I can make some enquiries . Hopefully some of our groups may have retained a brochure. ---------- Post added 19-04-15 at 09:04 AM ---------- Originally posted by tim60 I think the moustache-like motif is a dragon face motif - the curly bit is the nostrils. Certainly the motif is frequent from at least early 1st millennium BC. (The National Palace Museum in Taipei is curated very well to present that kind of historical perspective.) Thanks for the information, this pattern was very common in many places. It is good to know the origin of it.