Ming Middle Capital Ruins
明中都皇故城
The ruins of the early Ming capital that the Hongwu Emperor built in his hometown of Fengyang. Its Meridian Gate features exquisite stone carvings, and the site is a national archaeological park.
The Ming Zhongdu lies northwest of Fengyang County. In 1369, the Hongwu Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, ordered a grand capital built in his hometown. It was constructed on a vast scale with fine materials, but work stopped six years later. Its planning nevertheless shaped the construction of Nanjing and Beijing, and it is one of the three Ming capitals. Today it is a national archaeological park. Highlights include the white jade Sumeru-pedestal reliefs on the Meridian Gate platform, the ruins of the Xihua Gate, the city walls and the Temple of Emperors of Past Dynasties. The site is large, so take a car or bicycle and explore it in sections. It is about 100 km from Chuzhou city.
Opening hours
About 08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Fengyang Drum Tower
- Longxing Temple (Fengyang)
- Ming Imperial Tomb (Fengyang)
- Langxiang Migu Karst Maze
- Jiushan Cave
- Xiaogang Village
- Huangfushan National Forest Park
- Langya Mountain