Ming Xiaoling

The founding emperor's tomb, Ming Xiaoling is the mausoleum of the Hongwu Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, who overthrew the Mongol Yuan dynasty and established the Ming, and it lies on the wooded southern flank of Purple Mountain just east of central Nanjing. Begun in the late fourteenth century, it is one of the largest imperial tombs in China and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Its influence was profound. The layout Zhu commissioned here, with its curving spirit way, its sequence of gates and its round burial mound, broke with earlier convention and became the model followed by the later Ming tombs near Beijing and the Qing imperial tombs after them. In effect, this Nanjing complex set the pattern for five centuries of Chinese royal burial.

The Sacred Way is the highlight. Rather than running straight, the approach road bends gracefully through the hills, lined by monumental stone statues of elephants, camels, mythical beasts and civil and military officials that stand guard along the route. Beneath old trees that turn gold and russet in autumn, this avenue is one of the most atmospheric walks in the whole Zhongshan scenic area.

Practical points: the tomb sits within the same great parkland as the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Linggu Temple, so many visitors combine them, and a shuttle links the main sights across the extensive grounds. An entrance fee applies. Autumn is spectacular for the foliage along the Sacred Way, while spring is fresh and green; both beat the humid summer. Allow at least half a day, and wear comfortable shoes for the gentle but lengthy walking between the scattered monuments. The bending Sacred Way, unusual among imperial tombs, is the detail that lingers longest in the memory.