Jiangsu·Huai'an | Xuyi·Ming Ancestral Tomb

The Ming Ancestral Tomb is located on the western shore of Hongze Lake in Xuyi County, Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province. It serves as the cenotaph for the great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, and grandfather of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, as well as the actual burial site of his grandfather. After establishing the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang posthumously honored his great-great-grandfather Zhu Bailiu as Emperor Dexuan, his great-grandfather Zhu Sijiu as Emperor Yiheng, and his grandfather Zhu Chuyi as Emperor Xiyu. In 1386 (the 19th year of the Hongwu reign), he constructed the ancestral tomb to rebury and honor these three generations of imperial ancestors. The following year, a memorial hall was built in front of the tomb, and in 1413 (the 11th year of the Yongle reign), Zhu Di added the Lingxing Gate and surrounding walls, completing the entire complex. The original tomb complex included palaces, golden gates, jade bridges, kitchens, wells, sacrificial areas, worship halls, guardhouses, steles, and over 10,000 cypress trees. The sacred path, stretching over 250 meters, featured two pairs of ornamental columns and 19 pairs of stone statues, with a grand ceremonial scale of 149 hectares of sacrificial land. The Ming Ancestral Tomb is situated at the entrance of the Huai River into Hongze Lake (formerly under the jurisdiction of Fengyang Prefecture in the Ming Dynasty). When Sizhou City was submerged by the lake, the tomb was also engulfed. The sacred path, a grand avenue leading to the tomb, served both as a landmark and a ceremonial symbol of rank. The sacred path of the Ming Ancestral Tomb lies along the central axis of the brick-walled enclosure, connecting the Red Gate to the inner imperial city, spanning approximately 300 meters. From north to south, it features two pairs of qilins, six pairs of stone lions, two pairs of sacred path columns, two pairs of horse officials, one pair of stone horses, one pair of horse-controlling guards, three pairs of civil officials, two pairs of military officers, and two pairs of attendants. These stone carvings are grand in scale and exquisitely crafted, with a unique style distinct from the Ming imperial tombs in Fengyang, Nanjing's Xiaoling Tomb, or Beijing's Ming Tombs, bearing some resemblance to the Song Dynasty tomb carvings. The sculptures are tall, densely arranged, and characterized by simple yet robust forms, auspicious motifs, rich decorative elements, and masterful carving techniques. They blend Tang and Song styles with early Ming innovations, representing the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty stone carving art and earning the title "Treasure of China." Damaged during the Yellow River's diversion into the Huai River in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign), the carvings underwent initial restoration and realignment in 1981, followed by further conservation efforts in 2002.