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Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Nanjing
明孝陵 · Xuanwu (Purple Mountain), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
The joint tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, where stone beasts on the Sacred Way and autumn plane trees form Nanjing's most poetic imperial tomb route.
Know before you go
- This is a burial site: don't play around or make noise on the burial mound or the Sacred Way
- don't climb or sit on the stone animals
- don't pick flowers or plants in the tomb area.
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
From cowherd to founding emperor
Zhu Yuanzhang was born in 1328 into a poor peasant family in Zhongli, Haozhou; in the famines and epidemics of the late Yuan his parents died one after another, and he became a novice monk at a temple, then went out begging for alms, witnessing the people's suffering. He later joined the rebel armies, took Nanjing in 1356 and founded the Ming dynasty in 1368. In 1381 he began building his tomb on Zhongshan; after his death in 1398 he was buried here with Empress Ma — the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Source: Wikipedia: Hongwu Emperor; Wikipedia: Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Ming Xiaoling is the joint tomb of the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, begun in 1381, the 14th year of the Hongwu reign; its name comes from the empress's posthumous title, 'Xiaoci'. Set on the southern slope of Zhong Mountain, with a winding Sacred Way lined by stone animals along the Stone Elephant Road and plane trees turning gold in autumn, it is the most poetic imperial tomb in Nanjing people's hearts. As the first of the Ming and Qing imperial tombs, its layout of 'court in front, sleeping quarters behind' shaped all later Ming and Qing mausoleums. It became a World Heritage Site in 2003 as part of the Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Local customs
- Nanjingers treat the Zhongshan scenic area as the city's back garden, climbing in the morning and strolling in the evening
- in plane-tree season in November, the Stone Elephant Road is a favourite spot for wedding photos
- Plum Blossom Hill has more than 30,000 plum trees, and seeking plum blossom in early spring is an old Nanjing tradition.
Religion & beliefs
- A secular imperial tomb with no religious activity
- there is a folk tradition of tomb-sweeping at Qingming, so be dignified when visiting.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: don't get physical in a dispute
- Walk away from an argument and call the police if needed
- Pushing, shoving or fighting
Whoever starts it, taking part in a fight can bring a fine or detention, and the injured party usually demands compensation.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: China travel advice
China: carry your original passport
- Foreign visitors should carry their original passport
- Carrying only a copy or photo of your passport
Police make random ID checks and do not accept printouts; if you cannot show your passport, you may be fined or detained.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: China travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- This is a burial site: don't play around or make noise on the burial mound or the Sacred Way
- don't climb or sit on the stone animals
- don't pick flowers or plants in the tomb area.
Locals appreciate DO
- Nanjingers love strolling the streets, and the autumn colours of the Stone Elephant Road are a social-media regular
- locals like to take visiting friends to 'climb Zhong Mountain and see the Ming Xiaoling', followed by a bowl of duck blood and vermicelli soup.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The plane-tree leaves are best in November, but weekends are crowded, so go on a weekday
- the Ming Xiaoling is part of the Zhongshan scenic area, so check for combined tickets
- combine with the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Linggu Temple. Check tickets and opening hours on the official website.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
Must-try
- Salted duck
- Duck blood and vermicelli soup
- Pidu noodles (puffed pork-skin noodles)
Salted duck (pale skin, tender, savoury), duck-blood vermicelli soup (with duck offal), pidu noodles (fried pork skin with shredded pork), red-bean yuanxiao (small glutinous balls in red-bean soup), plum-blossom cakes
| Where to eat | Few options around the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum / Ming Xiaoling; head back to the city for Kexiang market, Mingwalang and the Confucius Temple area |
|---|---|
| Typical price per person | CNY 35–70 |
| Tips | The scenic areas mostly have simple meals, so eat properly back in the city; for vacuum-packed salted duck as a gift, choose long-established brands. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
NNU10.24100114 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photos
Photos
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xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0
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Chainwit. · CC BY 4.0
Kimon Berlin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Sources & verification notes
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