Ornamental Pillars of Prince Yigong’s Tomb

Nancheng was the fiefdom of the Prince Yi, a descendant of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Youbin, Prince Yirui, built a royal city here and constructed the Prince Yi Mansion covering more than 200,000 square metres. The imperial-style complex featured over 800 rooms with red walls and green glazed tiles.

The hereditary title was passed down through eight rulers spanning seven generations over a period of 149 years until the fall of the Ming Dynasty. The royal clan cemetery is spectacular. The exquisitely carved ornamental pillars bear witness to the noble status of their former owners.

More than 3,000 burial relics were unearthed from the tombs, many of which are rare treasures that once caused a stir worldwide. Over 2,000 of these cultural artifacts are now preserved in the National Museum of China.