Spring Outing in the Yangtze-Huaihe Region: Exploring the Historical Origins of the Ming Dynasty at the Ming Imperial Tomb in Fengyang

🌇Fengyang, Anhui, the birthplace of rural reform, the land where the Ming Dynasty began, is famously known as the hometown of emperors. Six hundred years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, built the imperial tomb, established the capital, and bestowed Fengyang. A visit to Fengyang is incomplete without exploring the historical origins of the Ming Dynasty at the Ming Imperial Tomb. ☑️About the Ming Imperial Tomb: The Ming Imperial Tomb in Fengyang was built by Zhu Yuanzhang for his parents and elder brother and sister-in-law. It mainly consists of three enclosures: the imperial city, the brick city, and the earth city. Today, the palaces and halls have become ruins, and only the tomb mound and the stone carvings remain, which are key cultural relics under state protection. 🌟Main Attractions: 1️⃣The Ming Imperial Tomb, along with the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing and the Ming Tombs in Beijing, follows the same system. Although not the tomb of an emperor, the 32 pairs of stone statues here are considered masterpieces of large-scale stone carving art. These statues were carved from single blocks of stone, are extremely hard, and after more than 600 years, they still look as if they were newly carved, with clear, lifelike, and finely crafted details. Walking among them gives visitors a sense of awe and is definitely the biggest highlight of the entire tomb area. 2️⃣The Imperial Tomb Stele. The tall stele is located at the southern end of the spirit road on the west side of the tomb. It is currently protected by a stele pavilion and consists of five parts: the stele head, cloud plate, stele body, camel's hump, and turtle base. Zhu Yuanzhang himself wrote the inscription, recounting his family background, personal experiences, and the process of crossing the Yangtze River to unify the country. 🎟Ticket Price: 50 yuan per person, with a 5 yuan discount for online reservations. 📍Address: 057 County Road, Fengyang County, Chuzhou City. Although it is part of Chuzhou City, it is closer to Bengbu. The high-speed train from Bengbu South Station to Fengyang takes only about twenty minutes, and it's just over 20 kilometers by car without taking the highway. 🤳Tips: The Ming Zhongdu Ruins and the Ming Imperial Tomb are two different places. Make sure not to mix them up in the navigation. There is a parking lot in front of the tomb visitor center, which charges 5 yuan. The overall visiting time is about 1 hour, and there is no shade in the tomb area, so sun protection is necessary.