Ming Ancestral Tomb

The Ming Ancestral Tomb (明祖陵) is located in Huaihe Town, Xuyi County, in the Huai'an area of Jiangsu province, on the western shore of Hongze Lake. It was built in the late 14th century by Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor and founder of the Ming dynasty, as a ceremonial tomb complex for his ancestors, whose family had lived in this region. Construction began around 1385 and the complex was developed over subsequent reigns, giving the ancestors imperial honours in a layout modelled on the great Ming imperial burial sites. The complex follows a long sacred way lined with stone figures of officials, military men, lions, horses and other animals, leading to the tomb mound and ritual buildings. In the 17th century the site was inundated by the rising waters of Hongze Lake and it remained submerged for a long period, which helps explain why the buildings above ground did not survive. In the 20th century the lake level dropped and a large part of the stone statuary, numbering in the hundreds, was exposed and recovered, giving rise to the present preservation effort. Today the stone sculptures, the sacred way and the remnants of the walled area can be seen, and the site is recognised as a national-level protected monument. The carving style shows early Ming imperial conventions and provides a rare record of ceremonial layout for a tomb that was never a conventional imperial burial. Interpretive displays explain the tomb's history and the engineering challenges of preserving it near the lake. Xuyi is a considerable drive from central Huai'an, so visitors usually combine the visit with other sites in Xuyi. Admission and opening hours should be confirmed at the site, as published sources vary, and a visit usually takes around one to two hours.