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| Ming Xiaoling Tomb - Nanjing, China |
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| The "Sacred Way" |
The entrance to the Ming Xiaoling park commands a steep
entrance fee (70 RMB per ticket), which would not be worth it if it were not
for the beautiful park and other attractions within the compound. Be prepared to spend a good 3-4 hours here as
there is a lot of ground to cover. Starting at the main entrance is the “Sacred
Way” which leads up to the tomb of the emperor. The path is lined with massive
stone statues of various pairs of animals (elephants, camels, lions, qilin,
etc) and pairs of stone guards and scholars) leading up to the base of the
mountain.
The path is absolutely stunning and the natural surroundings
provide a peaceful and serene atmosphere. If you are lucky enough to visit in
the fall you will be treated with the changing of the leaves on the trees that
adorn the path and fill the park (consequently tourism traffic during this time
of year is insane).
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| Ming Xiaoling - Nanjing, China |
Once you arrive at the end of the sacred way you will cross
a bridge that leads to the main building of the mausoleum. The design of the building follows the
traditional Ming architectural style. I
could not believe how massive it was while standing at the bottom
entrance. Hiking up a staircase tunneled
through the middle of the building you can walk around the top platform of the
building for a nice view of the Nanjing skyline.
On the backside of the main building is a path that leads up
to the peak of the mountain. When you
arrive at the top you are treated to an amazing view of the entire Purple
Mountain park area and the entire city of Nanjing. You can either hike back down to the park
area or take a cable car down to the entrance of the Purple Mountain Park.
Since this will take you out of the Ming Xiaoling area (and remember, you paid 70 RMB for your ticket) I would either recommend that you head back down the path and explore the rest of the beautiful Ming Xiaoling park or explore it before you visit the Ming tomb.
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| A beautiful pond in the Ming Xiaoling Park |
The area near the “Sacred Way” contains a recently renovated
park that provides some beautiful scenery as well as some other historical
attractions. There is a massive green
park area that is an excellent place to have a picnic or just enjoy the
afternoon. Near the animal statue part
of the path is a neat little compound that celebrates another great emperor in
China’s history, Sun Quan. Sun Quan ruled during the famous Three Kingdoms
period of China (he died in 252 AD) and there is some cool historical
information about him provided here as well as a massive statue of him.
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| Statue of Emperor Sun Quan |
The rest of the park is a collection of beautiful ponds,
pavilions, and paths. There is even a
recently constructed outdoor theater (I wasn’t able to find any information
about any performances however) that would be an excellent way to pass the
evening.
A visit to this Ming tomb is a must for any visitors to
Nanjing not only because of the historical significance of the site, but
because it is located in an extremely beautiful mountain park. It is even worth
a visit if you have been to the Ming Tomb’s in Beijing. I absolutely loved this
park, and its close proximity to other attractions and historical sites makes
it a perfect way to spend the day. After
visiting the tomb check out Sun Yatsen’s mausoleum, Xuanwu lake, or the Nanjing
Botanical Garden.
How to get there:
From Sun Yatsen’s Mausoleum – take the tourist trolley
located at the base of the mausoleum for 5 RMB
From the city center – take a cab and ask to go to 明孝陵
(Ming Xiaoling)
Bus – Take Tourism Bus no. 3 or city buses no. 315 or 20 and
get off at Ming Xiaoling
Hours of Operation:
Daily until 6:30pm
Entrance Fee: 70 RMB (Free entrance to the park after 6:30pm
but the tomb and other attractions are closed)
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| On the "Sacred Way" |
I am definitely copying your list there. Those place are the one's that I really want to go too.
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