[2024 Zhongxiang Attraction] Travel Guide for Xianling Mausoleum (Updated Oct)

Ming Xianling Mausoleum, Jingmen, Hubei | A grand ancient mausoleum.

Ming Xianling Mausoleum is an important part of the World Cultural Heritage "Ming and Qing Imperial Tombs". It is located in Chunde Mountain, northeast of Zhongxiang City, Jingmen City, Hubei Province. It is the joint tomb of Zhu Youyuan, the father of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (Emperor Xingxian of the Ming Dynasty), and his mother, Empress Dowager Cixiao (Empress Dowager Zhangsheng). Xianling was built in the 14th year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (1519). According to the rules of the princes, Jiajing ascended the throne and was upgraded and rebuilt according to the rules of the imperial mausoleum. It took 47 years to build. 【Travel Guide】 The mausoleum area covers a large area. The palace building complex of Ming Xianling is built in a vertical layout according to the layout of the previous dynasty. It is composed of inner and outer Luo cities, including the front and rear treasure cities, Fangcheng Minglou, Lengsi Hall, Ling'en Gate, Shen Kitchen, Shenku, Linghu, Junhu, Shen Gongjian, Gongde Beilou, Xin Hongmen, Jiu Hongmen, Inner and Outer Mingtang, Jiuqu Yuhu, Longxing Shendao and other buildings. The overall layout of Ming Xianling is like a "treasure bottle". Its architecture fully considers the geographical shape, especially the coordination and consistency of the architectural structure with the surrounding natural environment. All the mountains, water systems, and forest vegetation in the mausoleum area are used as the constituent elements of the mausoleum to unify the layout and arrangement. The natural hills in the back of the mausoleum area are the ancestral mountains, which are used as the support of the mausoleum. The mountains on both sides are used as the protection. The buildings are arranged on the middle platform, and the Jiuqu River is winding in the middle. The hills in front are the screen mountains, forming the feng shui pattern of the front Zhuque, the back Xuanwu, the left Qinglong, and the right Baihu, making the architecture and the environment harmonious and unified, and making the "mausoleum system and the mountains and rivers match". 🏨Nearby accommodation: It is recommended to stay in Mochou Village. The self-operated Ming Dynasty, those things, and Muxia Bieyuan are all good choices. 【Transportation Guide】 Self-driving

A county-level city in Hubei with a low profile, home to the largest Ming Dynasty imperial mausoleum.

There is a place in Hubei, a county-level city with a low profile, home to the largest Ming Dynasty imperial mausoleum, and it is also a World Heritage Site! Curious friends may ask, where is this county-level city in Hubei with a low profile? What different scenery does it have? With these questions and curiosity, let's talk about Zhongxiang today. Zhongxiang City, a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Hubei Province, is managed by Jingmen City. It is located in the central part of Hubei Province, at the northern end of the Hanjiang Plain, northeast of Suizhou City, east of Jingshan City, south of Tianmen City, west of Dongbao District, Duodao District and Shayang County, and northwest of Yicheng City, with a total area of 4,488 square kilometers. Zhongxiang City is one of the important birthplaces of Chu culture, with a recorded history of more than 2,700 years. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it was called Jiaoying, a subsidiary capital of the Chu State, and later became the capital of the Chu State. In the tenth year of Jiajing (1531), Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houzao, took the meaning of "Feng Shui treasure land, auspiciousness", and gave the county the name "Zhongxiang", and promoted Anlu Mansion to Chengtian Mansion.

Peeping at a leopard through a tube, seeing thirteen tombs in one glance—A brief exploration of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

As a Hubei native, I've visited the Ming tombs in Nanjing and Beijing, but I had never been to the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum until I passed by it on my way back home during the summer vacation. This finally gave me the opportunity to visit. How should I put it? If you live not far from Hubei and are lazy, then after seeing the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, you don't need to visit the other tombs. Why? Because their structures are quite similar, with the only difference being their size. When Emperor Jiajing ascended the throne, he spent seventeen years on the Grand Rites Controversy to assert his authority over his ministers, eventually elevating his father, Prince Xingxian, into the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Therefore, the structure of this tomb is the standard imperial tomb. The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is not very large, but it has everything it should have, and even some unique details. For example, the outer pond is square, and the inner pond is round, echoing the design of the Temple of Heaven. The ponds are connected by channels, with arched bridges allowing for flowing water, symbolizing the continuous flow of life and energy. Finding such a place nestled between mountains and water in the flatlands of Hubei near Hunan is indeed impressive. Besides seeing what a Ming tomb looks like, I think you can learn a lot about Emperor Jiajing's personality from this place. The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum was built for Jiajing's father, so its design reflects many of Jiajing's traits: persistence, intelligence, and creativity. There are several unique design details in the mausoleum, such as the flame gate design. After walking around, I felt quite emotional. Time passes, generations change, but these ancient buildings remain, witnessing the cycles of history. It's a bit like the ancient saying, 'The moon that ancient people saw is the same moon that shines on us today.' History enthusiasts can visit, touch the weathered bluestones, and feel the passage of time.

One-Day Trip Around Wuhan | A Lifetime Without Sorrows After Visiting 'Mochou Village'

【Mochou Village】is known as the number one village of Hubei folk customs and arts. It is located in Zhongxiang City, one of the top five tourist cities in Hubei Province, which is also known as the land of longevity in the world, within the Mingxianling Culture and Tourism Scenic Area. To the north, it is adjacent to the World Cultural Heritage site of Mingxianling, and to the south, it is close to the Mochou Lake National Wetland Park. Mochou Village got its name from Mochou, a female artist of the Chu state who grew up here. For thousands of years, many touching stories have been told about Mochou Village and Mochou herself, as well as 'Yangchun Bai Xue' and landmarks such as Yangchun Stage and Baixue Building, which have been admired and sought after by literati and scholars throughout the ages. Second Stop: Mochou Village in Zhongxiang City 📍Location: No. 59, Mochou Village Lake Road, Zhongxiang City, Jingmen 🚗Self-driving: From Suoluohe Village 👉 to Mochou Village, a 55-minute drive 🎫Ticket: Free ⌚️Visiting Time: You can spend an entire afternoon 🗺Nearby Attractions: Mochou Lake 👉 Mingxianling (Ticket 60) 👉 Mochou Village 👉 Dakou Forest Park (Ticket 35) You can choose to visit based on your own time 💥Travel Tips: 🌟It might be a somewhat commercialized ancient village, but because of this, food, drinks, and accommodations are very convenient, with a wide range of meals and snacks available, and many hotels to choose from nearby the scenic area. 🌟There is a Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) museum in the scenic area, and dressing up for photos will enhance the experience. 🌟There are also flash performances at different times in the scenic area, such as Sichuan opera face-changing, bamboo pole dance, and lion dance, all of which are free to watch. 🌟During the day, you can eat, drink, and stroll around, and at night, enjoy the night view, which is really relaxing. ❣️It was raining a bit when we went, which initially dampened our spirits, but in the end, we found that the photos taken had an extra sense of clarity, which was an unexpected gain. The only regret was not seeing the bonfire because of the rain. Overall, escaping the city and relaxing for a one-day trip is quite nice. It is said that they might start charging for admission in the future, so hurry up and go!

He never became an emperor, yet he possesses the most beautiful imperial mausoleum

Xianling is the joint burial mausoleum of Emperor Jiajing's father, Emperor Gongruixian Zhu Youyuan (King Xingxian of Ming Ruizong), and his mother, Empress Cixiaoxian (Empress Dowager Zhangsheng). Xianling was transformed from the tomb of King Xingxian, took 47 years to complete, and is the only Ming dynasty imperial mausoleum in central and southern China, as well as the largest single imperial mausoleum of the Ming dynasty. Xianling played a pivotal role in the imperial mausoleum system of the Ming dynasty, and its 'one mausoleum with two mounds' structure is a unique case among imperial mausoleums throughout Chinese history. Xianling was the result of the significant mid-Ming dynasty event known as the 'Great Rites Controversy'.

After 10 years and an investment of 500 million yuan, this small county in Hubei has finally realized its dream of 5A

After Zhongxiang was upgraded to a national 5A tourist attraction, it offered free admission during the Spring Festival, and the scenic area was crowded with tourists, shoulder to shoulder, and endless. If Mingxiangling can implement a long-term free opening policy, it will greatly attract tourists from other places to visit. Free opening not only reduces the cost of tourists, but also allows more people to have the opportunity to come into contact with this world cultural heritage, and will also promote the further development of the local economy.

World Cultural Heritage National 4A Scenic Area Zhongxiang Mingxian Mausoleum

Mingxian Mausoleum Mingxian Mausoleum was built during the reign of Emperor Jiajing, 'The sacred temple has a Lingxing gate, and the sacred gate is like a heavenly gate.' The outer perimeter of the scenic area is the Outer Mingtang, which is a homophonic of the Ming Hall, and has a protective effect on the earth's energy. Inside is the Inner Mingtang, with a diameter of 33 meters, in a perfect circle. The scenic area has a nine-curved royal river, with a total length of 2000 meters, which is the main drainage system of the mausoleum area. It runs through five stone arch bridges to the Outer Mingtang with the divine road as the central axis.

The obvious tourist center of the Lingjing Scenic Area is about 600 meters away from the obvious tomb. It takes about 20 minutes to walk. The tourist service center has a battery car that can be reached by car. It should be noted that there is no ticket office at the entrance of the obvious Lingjing District. If you do not sell tickets, you must go to the Tourist Service Center to purchase. The obvious mausoleum was built in the 14th year of Ming Zhengde (1519). It was completed in the 45th year of Ming Jiajing (1566). It was built in 47 years. It is the father of Emperor Jiazong of the Ming Dynasty. The burial tomb of the emperor of the filial piety. The owner of the mausoleum, the father of Jiajing Emperor Zhu Youzhen, is the younger son of Ming Xianzong, the younger brother of Ming Xiaozong Zhu Youzhen. When he was alive, he was named Xingwang, and he was in Luzhou Guang'an Luzhou (now Zhongxiang City). When he was alive, he was only a king, not an emperor. After his death, he was buried under the specifications of the king. However, his son was fortunate enough to be ushered in the capital. After he ascended the throne, he pursued the father Zhu Youyu as the emperor and rebuilt the mausoleum with the emperor's specifications. This has the obvious tomb seen today.