Shisanling Stele

Ming Tombs, Beijing

The bixi, a mythological tortoise, carries the great weight of this 8m-tall (26') stele. Its 3,500-character text eulogizes the Yongle emperor, whose tomb lies at the end of the spirit road. The text was written, in accordance with custom, by Yongle's son and successor Renzong, although the stele was not erected until the reign of Renzong's successor Xuanzong. Further inscriptions, added during the Qing dynasty, describe how the Ming tombs were piously restored by emperors Qianlong and Jiaqing, and include a poem by Qianlong in commemoration of his visit there.

The tortoise is able to support great weights on its back. In Asia generally, a mythological tortoise cosmologically supports the earth (see: Mt. Meru). In China, the tortoise supports the words of the emperor on steles such as these.