No 17. Si Zong, 1628 - 1643,
The Last Emperor of the Ming Dynasty

Although Emperor Sizong (Zhuang Lie) showed greater resolve than his predecessors, he was too late. The end was near. He died in captivity in 1646.

And yet, more than the Great Wall that still stands today, bears testimony to the truly resplendent years of the Ming Dynasty. Visitors today in Beijing become overwhelmed by the magnificence and huge dimensions of the "Forbidden City," the tombs some 18 miles north of Beijing, all bear impressive witness to their ultra-aristocratic society.