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Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Ming Tombs, Beijing

The Ming Tombs near Beijing were built in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui (because who wants to have bad luck for all eternity, after all).  According to these, bad spirits and evil winds descending from the North must be deflected; therefore, an arc-shaped valley area at the foot of the Jundu Mountains, north of Beijing, was selected. This 40 square kilometer area—enclosed by the mountains in a pristine, quiet valley full of dark earth, tranquil water and other necessities that are felt to bring luck in the Chinese culture.


The Ming emperors were lucky--China was no where near as densely populated when they were planning their final resting place (which has been looted a few times over the centuries, so while the exterior of the building is beautiful, the inside is a bit underwhelming).  The principles of Feng Shui make building apartment buildings in modern China a challenge.  One bathroom misplaced can significantly decrease the value of an otherwise perfectly nice place.

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