Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Meihua Hill Loop

The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Meihua Hill loop is a gentle 4 to 5 kilometre walk through the Ming Xiaoling Scenic Area on the southern slope of Purple Mountain in Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Ming Xiaoling is the tomb of the Hongwu Emperor, founder of the Ming dynasty, and forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing of Ming and Qing imperial tombs. The loop combines the tomb complex, its long tree-lined Sacred Way and the surrounding parkland around Meihua Hill, and takes two to three hours.

The trailhead is easy to reach. Visitors take Metro Line 2 to Xiamafang and walk about ten minutes to the Ming Xiaoling gate on Shitoubi Road. Admission is about 70 CNY, and visitors should confirm the current price on the Nanjing Zhongshan Scenic Area WeChat mini program. Taxis and Didi drop at the gate, and there is limited parking nearby, though most visitors arrive by metro.

Elevation gain is small, at most about 60 metres, so the walk is suitable for first-time hikers. Surfaces are paved paths, flagstone, and packed earth in the wooded sections, with no scrambling and almost no exposure. Shade is plentiful under old trees along the Sacred Way, while open lawns near the tomb are sunny. Key landmarks include the stone animals and officials lining the Sacred Way, the Square City and the tomb mound, and Meihua Hill, which is planted with plum trees and is a popular place for blossom viewing in early spring. Visitors can shorten the walk by turning back at the tomb mound, or extend it by continuing toward the observatory trail.

Refreshment kiosks and toilets are found near the entrance and at points along the route, so water is easy to obtain. There are no refuge huts, but pavilions and covered corridors give shelter from sun and rain. Signs are in Chinese and English at major points. Weekends and public holidays are crowded, particularly in plum blossom season, so early arrival makes the walk calmer.