Built some 600 years ago, Xiaoling, or the Tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang, founder of the Ming Dynasty, is one of the largest mausoleums for emperors in ancient China. Born in 1328, Zhu Yuanzhang was in power in 1368 after a farmers' rebellion. The construction of the mausoleum lasted for 38 years from 1376 through 1413. The walls around the tomb are 22.5 kilometers long. The structures in front of the tomb are grand, especially the stone sculptures along the road to the tomb.

Unfortunately, the structures were destroyed in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The main structures in existence include the Xiama Archway, the Square City, the stairway, the Stone Bridge, the Front Gate, and the inscribed stone tablets.

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