The Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty both left royal tombs which are close enough to Beijing to be visited while there. The Ming Dynasty ruled most of modern China from 1368 until 1644 AD. Though the dynasty started with a peasant-become-warlord who was prone to violence and paranoia, it was on the whole a period of relative peace, of prosperity and population growth, of philosophy and culture. (Photo courtesy of Brad Templeton.)