Brief Introduction to the Mausoleum of the Ming Ancestors

Also known as the First Mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty, the Mausoleum of the Ming Ancestors is a clothes tomb built for the grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. It is also the actual burial site of Zhu Chuyi, Zhu Yuanzhang’s grandfather.

Situated on the shore of Hongze Lake north of the ancient Sizhou City and beside the Huaihe River, the mausoleum lay submerged under the river waters for as long as 300 years. The site features rolling land backed by nine hills and overlooking the Bianhe and Huaihe Rivers. Its terrain resembles a towering dragon head rising amid mountains and waters, deemed a blessed geomantic land that nurtured prosperity and laid the foundation for the imperial fortune of the Ming Dynasty.

Construction began in the 18th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1385 AD) and was completed in the 11th year of the Yongle reign (1413 AD), spanning 28 years in total. The original complex had three layers of city walls, three Golden Water Bridges, and over a thousand halls, pavilions, official quarters and residential buildings, boasting a grand scale and imposing presence.

In the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1680 AD), the Yellow River diverted its course into the Huaihe River. The mausoleum, together with the ancient Sizhou City, was destroyed by catastrophic floods. It first emerged from the water during a severe drought in the spring of 1953, when local people referred to it simply as the "Great Mound". It reappeared again in another drought in 1963. Experts from the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Administration Commission, who were conducting surveys on the ruins of the ancient Xu State, identified the site as the Mausoleum of the Ming Ancestors.

State funds were allocated for restoration starting in 1976. The restoration took initial shape in 1982, and the site was listed as a Key Cultural Relic under Protection of Jiangsu Province. In October 1996, the State Council designated it as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Today, towering stone guardian figures line the solemn sacred avenue. These statues feature exquisite craftsmanship and vivid expressions, surpassing those of other Ming imperial mausoleums. The stone carvings here represent an artistic legacy inheriting the styles of the Tang and Song dynasties and influencing the art of the Ming and Qing dynasties, ranking among the precious treasures of Chinese culture.

The rediscovery of the Mausoleum of the Ming Ancestors has perfected the system of Ming imperial mausoleums. It also provides valuable historical evidence for the research on Ming history, imperial mausoleums of the Ming Dynasty and the geographical features of the imperial hometown.