Ming Ancestors Mausoleum
明祖陵
The mausoleum of Zhu Yuanzhang's ancestors, with stone statues lining the sacred way on the shore of Hongze Lake. It was submerged for nearly three centuries, giving it a mysterious air.
The Ming Ancestors' Mausoleum is on the west shore of Hongze Lake in Xuyi County. Built in the early Ming dynasty, it is the tomb that the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang had built for his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father. During the Kangxi era of the Qing dynasty, the Yellow River changed course to flow into the Huai, and the mausoleum grounds were submerged by Hongze Lake for nearly 300 years. The waters receded in the 1960s and the site reappeared. Dozens of stone statues line the sacred way in front of the tomb, including qilins, lions, and civil and military officials. They are finely carved and are national key cultural heritage sites. The mausoleum is about 15 km from Xuyi County town, and it is reached by self-driving or hired car. A visit takes about 1.5 hours.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Diyishan Mountain (Xuyi)
- Xuyi Crayfish Museum & Street
- Tieshansi National Forest Park
- Fantawild Oriental Dawn Huai'an
- Hongze Lake Dike
- Matou Town & Qingkou Hydraulic Hub
- Zhou Enlai's Childhood Study Site
- Qingyan Garden