China, circa 1875
Unidentified photographer

The Sacred Way (which means « the road to heaven ») is the path leading to the tombs of Chinese Emperors. These paths were often lined with stone animals and other figures which served as reminders of the grandeur of the Emperor and his lands as well as guardians of his tomb. This image, taken by an unknown photographer, shows four stone elephants lining the Sacred Way to the tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty.