Visiting the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

April weather is unpredictable. It's hot when you're wearing clothes, but cold when you take them off! Taking advantage of the good weather on the weekend, my husband and I went to Nanjing, and our first choice was to go straight to the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. Visiting imperial tombs has been a hobby of mine since I was a child. This time, we entered from Gate 5 in order to walk the Stone Statue Road. The large and small stone statues are truly spectacular. The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the first of all the Ming imperial tombs. It was built in the 14th year of the Ming Hongwu period (1381). The following year, Empress Ma passed away and was buried in this mausoleum, which was named "Xiaoling." The name Xiaoling means "governing the world with filial piety," because Empress Ma's posthumous title was "Xiaoci." Later, Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming Taizu Emperor, was also buried here. The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is grand in scale. The entire project took more than 30 years to complete. It became the model for the imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and it also represents the highest achievement of stone carving art at that time. It has been listed as a World Cultural Heritage site. Visiting the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, I not only saw the towering buildings, but also appreciated the majestic momentum. It was well worth the trip!