The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is located in the Zhongshan Scenic Area. It is the tomb of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma. The mausoleum is magnificent and represents the achievements of early Ming architecture and stone carving art. It also directly influenced the shape of the imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Cemetery distribution
The overall layout of the mausoleum area is divided into two parts: one is the winding mausoleum sacred road, and the other is the main building of the mausoleum, which is the burial place of Zhu Yuanzhang. The main buildings of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum include the Wenwu Fangmen (i.e. the main gate), the Xiandian, the Fangcheng, the Minglou, and the Baoding (i.e. Chongqiu), all of which are arranged according to the traditional central axis and surrounded by walls. The mausoleum layout design of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum of "front court and back bedroom, front and back circle" and the architectural forms such as the Fangcheng Minglou, Baocheng Baoding, pioneered the construction regulations of the mausoleums of the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, and is hailed as a milestone in the development history of Chinese imperial mausoleums.
Shinto
The sacred road runs from Xiamafang to the main gate of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, and is 2,400 meters long. It is winding and deep, which is different from the straight pattern of the traditional sacred roads in Chinese imperial mausoleums. The sacred road is divided into two sections: Shixiang Road and Wengzhong Road. The stone sculptures on both sides are a highlight, with 12 pairs of tall stone beasts and 2 pairs of civil officials and military generals. The stone sculptures are carved from a whole piece of stone, with simple shapes, clear patterns and exquisite craftsmanship. In autumn, the ginkgo and red maple trees here are also a sight to behold, attracting a large number of tourists who love photography.
Hall of Worship
The Hall of Worship, also known as the Xiaoling Hall, was originally the place where the tablets of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma were enshrined. The original hall has been destroyed, but there are still three layers of Xumi pedestals and six large stone steps with reliefs of clouds, dragons, mountains and waters. Now it is the exhibition room of Ming Xiaoling Historical Materials.
Fangcheng
Fangcheng is a huge building in front of the Xiaoling Mausoleum. It is built with large stones on the outside and has a Xumi pedestal at the bottom. Minglou is located on top of Fangcheng. The original yellow-tiled roof was destroyed but was later restored. You can climb up to Minglou along the trails on the left and right sides of Fangcheng.
Baoding
To the north of Fangcheng is Baoding, also known as Baocheng, which is about 400 meters in diameter. It is the bedroom of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma. Enter through the archway in the middle of Fangcheng, which leads to a round arch tunnel. Climb 54 steps to get out of the tunnel, and you will see the south wall of Baoding. On the wall, there is an inscription "This mountain is the tomb of Ming Taizu". You can't go any further. Under Baoding is the underground palace of Zhu Yuanzhang's tomb, which has not been excavated.
Plum Garden and Cherry Blossom Garden
Plum Blossom Mountain is located to the south of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, and is planted with plum blossoms. There is a Plum Blossom Valley at the foot of the mountain, with more than 13,000 plum trees. The Wintersweet Garden of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is distributed on both sides of the central axis from Jinshui Bridge to Ming Tower, covering an area of more than 80 mu, with more than 3,000 wintersweets planted, covering three major species groups and more than 60 varieties. The wintersweets are in their best viewing period from December every year to late February of the following year.
Sun Quan's tomb can also be seen on Meihua Mountain. There is a cherry blossom garden near the Shinto Shixiang Road, and tourists come here to enjoy the cherry blossoms in an endless stream every late March and early April. The Red Mansion Art Garden is a garden landscape that embodies the Red Mansion culture and the rich Jiangnan style. The Zixia Lake in the north is a good place to escape the summer heat.
