Nanjing (Nanking) City Tour Package
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is one of the
biggest imperial tombs in China. It lies in the eastern suburbs of
Nanjing City at the southern foot of
Zhongshan (Purple) Mountain. Emperor Chengzu, Zhu Yuanzhang, the
first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Queen Ma were
buried there.
Construction of the mausoleum began in 1381 and was
completed in 1431. In 1384, Queen Ma died and was buried there.
Emperor Chengzu had bestowed upon her the title 'Queen of Xiao Ci'
which means 'Queen of Filial Piety and Kindness.' Hence, the name
Ming Xiaoling derives from her title.
The mausoleum has two discreet sections: One is the
Sacred Way area and the other is the main body of the mausoleum
itself.
The steel memorizing the first emperor of the Ming
DynastyAt the entrance to the mausoleum, you will see the
Dismounting Archway. As a gesture of deep respect, visitors would
discount their horses and sedans at this point. Not far from the
entrance is the Tablet Pavilion called Si Fang Cheng. Here a
majestic tablet was erected by order of Emperor Zhu Di, the fourth
son of Zhu Yuanzhang, to eulogize his father's merits and virtues.
The tablet is carried by Bixi, a legendary animal in the shape of a
tortoise. Walking northwesterly across the bridge, you will see the
winding 1800-meter long Sacred Way. Its middle section runs
east-west and is called Shi Xiang Road. It is lined with several
pairs of stone sculptured animals guarding the tomb. Each animal is
postured differently and each conveys an auspicious meaning. For
example, the lions, king of the animals, show the stateliness of the
emperors, the camels, symbol of desert and tropical areas, indicate
the vast territory of the dynasty and the elephants imply that the
policies of the dynasty are to meet the desire of the grass root and
the stabilization of the dynasty. Beyond the animals is a pair of
decorative columns called Hua Biao that are carved with dragons.
From here the Sacred Way turns into a north-south direction and
becomes known at Weng Zhong Road. This location is marked by stone
carved statues of ministers and generals. Different from the
straight sacred ways in the former dynasties, the Sacred Way at Ming
Xiaoling goes in different directions making it unique and
unprecedented in Chinese history.
Continuing north along the Sacred Way, you will reach
the main body of the mausoleum. There you will start from the Golden
Water Bridge (Jin Shui Qiao) and arrive at the main gate named Wen
Wu Archway. Outside the gate, there is a stone tablet with words
carved in six languages notifying visitors of the importance of the
mausoleum. You next arrive at the Xiao Ling Hall, the main structure
of the mausoleum. It was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and
was smaller in size than the original. Figures of Emperor Chengzu
and Queen Ma are hanging inside on the wall. There are also a
variety of sculptures depicting various scenes like the 'Two Dragons
Playing with the Pearl', 'the Heavenly Horses Flying in the Sky' and
'the Blazing Sun over the Country'. Then you will come to Fang Cheng
(a castle-like building) and Ming Lou (a structure built in palace
style with four walls left only). They are both innovations of the
Ming Dynasty. The last part is Bao Cheng that looks like a massif
and the tomb of Emperor Chengzu and Queen Ma is just beneath.
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is renowned for its unique
design, its eminent status, its amazing beauty and its magnificent
scale. It's the milestone in the historical development of Chinese
mausoleums. As an extension of the “Imperial Tombs of the Ming and
Qing Dynasties”, it is listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage
site.
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