Tomb of Zheng He (Zheng He Cultural Park)

Tomb of Zheng He (Zheng He Cultural Park)

The Tomb of Zheng He (Zheng He Cultural Park) is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The Tomb of Zheng He (Zheng He Cultural Park) is situated at the foot of Niushou Mountain, a scenic and renowned Buddhist sacred site, in Zhoucun, Guli Subdistrict, Jiangning District, Nanjing. The small hill where the tomb stands is locally referred to as "Huihui Mountain," and the tomb itself is called "Ma Huihui Tomb." In 1981, the Nanjing Cultural Relics Management Committee and the Jiangning County Bureau of Culture and Education conducted a field survey in the overgrown area of "Huihui Mountain" and discovered that the tomb complex was grand in scale, with a horseshoe-shaped grave pit and a rectangular earthen mound. According to local residents, there used to be a Zheng He tombstone and other stone carvings and structures here, all of which were destroyed in the 1950s.

In 1985, to commemorate the 580th anniversary of Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas, the Jiangning Bureau of Culture and Education, under the guidance of the Jiangsu Islamic Association, renovated the Zheng He Tomb. The restored tomb fully preserves the customs, specifications, and style of Hui Muslim burial rites. The tomb complex and covering stone were constructed with bluish stone materials, and the back wall bears the inscription "Tomb of Zheng He" in large characters. There are twenty-eight steps leading from the entrance of the tomb passage, symbolizing the 28 years of Zheng He’s maritime expeditions; the steps are divided into four platforms, representing the nearly 40 countries and regions he visited; each platform has seven steps, symbolizing his seven voyages to the Western Seas.

Additionally, a reception room with Ming and Qing architectural features (for both display and reception purposes), an elegant ancient-style pavilion with upturned eaves housing a stele erected by the Nanjing Municipal People's Government, were also built. These structures, set against the backdrop of Niushou Mountain, appear even more solemn and majestic. During the 600th anniversary commemorations of Zheng He’s voyages, the Jiangning District government further invested in a comprehensive renovation of the Zheng He Tomb complex. The cultural relics department, adhering to the principles of preserving the original historical and natural features of the tomb’s surroundings while improving the environment and upgrading facilities, replaced the original stone materials of the tomb passage. The tomb passage, 140.5 meters in total length, symbolizes the year 1405 when Zheng He’s first voyage began. A new stone memorial archway was constructed at the entrance; the archway is 5.6 meters high and 3.2 meters wide, with seven circles carved on it symbolizing the success of Zheng He’s seven voyages. The cultural relics exhibition hall, historical archives museum, relics display hall, and reception room were expanded and connected by corridors. The overall expansion adopted a Ming and Qing-style quadrangle layout, adding approximately 546 square meters of new floor space, an activity plaza of about 875 square meters, and a parking lot for the Zheng He Tomb spanning around 900 square meters.

Zheng He (1371–1433), originally surnamed Ma, was born into a devout Muslim family in Kunyang, Yunnan (now Jinning County). He was a great navigator of the Ming Dynasty and an outstanding pioneer in the history of global navigation. Between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He commanded a fleet of over 200 ships and more than 27,000 officers and soldiers, embarking on seven voyages to the Western Seas over 28 years. He visited nearly 40 countries and regions, expanding the ancient maritime Silk Road and making great contributions to the development of world civilization and traditional friendship between China and other nations.

Zheng He is a founding figure of global navigation and a pioneer in the exchange of world civilizations. He opened up and expanded maritime routes between China and Southeast Asia, East Africa, Arabia, and other regions, making indelible contributions to the progress of global maritime endeavors and people-to-people exchanges. The Tomb of Zheng He has now become an important site for citizens and young people to honor the great navigator’s achievements and engage in patriotic education activities.

Zheng He was born in the fourth year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty (1371), originally named Ma Sanbao. In the winter of 1381, the 13th year of Hongwu, the Ming army attacked Yunnan. At the age of 10, Ma Sanbao was captured by Ming forces, castrated, and became a eunuch, later entering the service of Zhu Di in the Prince of Yan’s palace. During the Jingnan Rebellion, Ma Sanbao distinguished himself in battle at Zhengzhou in Hebei (located north of present-day Renqiu, Hebei—not Zhengzhou, Henan), earning merit for Prince Zhu Di. In the second year of the Yongle reign (1404), Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di decreed that the surname Ma was not fitting for someone who would serve in the Hall of Heavenly Blessings, and thus inscribed the character “Zheng” for Ma Sanbao, bestowing upon him the surname Zheng and renaming him He. He was appointed as an Inner Eunuch Supervisor, reaching the official rank of fourth grade... More details about Zheng He++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province