The Ming Tombs are located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, about 50 kilometers away from Beijing. The mausoleum area is surrounded by mountains, with a plain in the middle. There is a winding river in front of the mausoleum, with beautiful mountains and rivers and pleasant scenery. The thirteen imperial tombs were all built on the mountain, on the foot of the east, west and north sides, forming a complete, large-scale and magnificent mausoleum complex. The sorcerers of the Ming Dynasty believed that this was a "feng shui" wonderland and an excellent "auspicious land". Therefore, it was selected by the Ming Dynasty as the "longevity domain" for the construction of imperial tombs. The mausoleum was built in 1409 and has a history of more than 300-600 years. The mausoleum area covers an area of 40 square kilometers. It is the largest existing imperial mausoleum complex in China and even in the world, with the most mausoleums of emperors and empresses. The Thirteen Tombs is a naturally standardized mountainous area. Its mountains belong to the remnant of Taihang Mountain, connecting to Juyong in the west, Huanghua Town in the north, and Changping Prefecture in the south. It is not only a barrier for the mausoleums, but also a northern screen for the capital. Taihang Mountain starts from Zezhou, winding northward for thousands of miles, and reaches Juyongguan, where thousands of peaks stand tall and winding eastward, rising from the ground to become Tianshou Mountain (formerly known as Huangtu Mountain). The mountain is lofty, majestic, broad, and powerful. Gu Yanwu, a famous scholar in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, once wrote a poem to describe the superior situation here: "The mountains come from the south, like a flying dragon; the east foot sits on Lulong, the west ridge gallops Taihang; the rear is sitting on Huanghua (referring to Huanghua Town), and the front faces the capital; there is a Wannian residence in the middle, named Kangjiazhuang; it can accommodate millions of people, and the Mingtang is suddenly opened." This beautiful natural landscape was regarded as a Feng Shui treasure land by feudal rulers. The Ming Tombs are both a unified whole, and each mausoleum is an independent unit, and the specifications of the mausoleums are similar. Each mausoleum was built in front of a mountain. The distance between the mausoleums is as little as half a kilometer and as much as eight kilometers. Except for Siling, which is located in the southwest corner, the rest are fan-shaped and arranged on the left and right of Changling. Under the guidance of traditional Chinese Feng Shui theory, the Ming Tombs, from site selection to planning and design, paid great attention to the harmonious unity of mausoleum buildings and natural mountains, rivers and vegetation, pursuing the perfect state of "made by heaven and earth" to embody the philosophical view of "harmony between man and nature". As an outstanding representative of ancient Chinese imperial tombs, the Ming Tombs show the rich connotation of Chinese traditional culture. This layout of building mausoleums on the mountain has also been praised by foreign experts. For example, the famous British historian Joseph Needham said: The imperial mausoleum is a major achievement in Chinese architectural form. The content of its entire pattern may be the greatest example of the combination of the entire architectural part and landscape art. He commented that the Ming Tombs are "the greatest masterpiece". His experience is that "from the gatehouse, you can enjoy the view of the entire valley, and contemplate its solemn scene on an organic plane. All the buildings in the meantime are integrated with the scenery, and the wisdom of the people is well expressed by the skills of architects and builders." British urban planner Edmund Bacon also highly praised the artistic achievements of the Ming Tombs. He believed that "the most magnificent example of 'movement' in architecture is the tomb of the emperor of the Ming Dynasty." He pointed out: the layout of the mausoleum complex built on the mountain "is so magnificent, and the volume within the entire valley is used to commemorate the dead king." They vividly depicted the organic combination of Ming Tombs architecture and natural landscape. In 2003, the Ming Tombs were included in the World Heritage List. The World Heritage Committee commented: The royal tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties were carefully selected according to the Feng Shui theory, and a large number of buildings were cleverly placed underground. It is the product of human change of nature, embodies traditional architectural and decorative ideas, and explains the world view and power view of feudal China that lasted for more than 5,000 years. The Ming Tombs are the general name for the royal mausoleums of the 13 emperors after the Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing. They are Changling (Chengzu), Xianling (Renzong), Jingling (Xuanzong), Yuling (Yingzong), Maoling (Xianzong), Tailing (Xiaozong), Kangling (Wuzong), Yongling (Shizong), Zhaoling (Muzong), Dingling (Shenzong), Qingling (Guangzong), Deling (Xizong), and Siling (Sizong), so they are called the Thirteen Tombs. The scenic spots that have been opened in the scenic area include Changling, Zhaoling, Dingling, and Shenlu. It is one of the best preserved mausoleums of Chinese emperors. In 2011, the National Tourism Administration approved the Ming Tombs Scenic Area as a national 5A-level tourist attraction.