Tomb of Prince Huan of Lu of the Ming Dynasty

Tomb of Prince Huan of Lu of the Ming Dynasty

The Tomb of Prince Huan of Lu of the Ming Dynasty is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site.

The Tomb of Prince Huan of Lu of the Ming Dynasty is the burial site of Zhu Tan, the tenth son of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. Originally covering an area of over 70,000 square meters, the mausoleum complex includes an underground palace mound spanning approximately 10,000 square meters. With its grand and solemn layout, elegant and luxurious architecture, it is a typical imperial tomb of a Ming prince and also the most completely excavated and richest in unearthed artifacts among Ming Dynasty tombs discovered after the liberation of Shandong Province.

Zhu Tan, Prince of Lu, was the tenth son of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. He was born in 1370 and became the Prince of Yanzhou at the age of fifteen. Initially humble, respectful to scholars, and knowledgeable, he was much favored by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. His consort, Lady Ge, came from a respectable family to serve the princely household. In the 23rd year of the Hongwu reign, she was titled Princess Consort of Prince Huan of Lu, and they had one son, Zhao Hui. However, Zhu Tan later went astray, embracing Taoism and obsessively refining “immortality pills” in search of eternal youth. This practice ultimately led to poisoning that blinded him, and he died at the age of nineteen. Upon learning of this, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang was furious, deeming his behavior absurd, and thus conferred upon him the posthumous title “Huan,” meaning “extravagant” or “reckless.”

Over a thousand artifacts were unearthed from the tomb of Zhu Tan, vividly reflecting the high craftsmanship of the laboring people during the Ming Dynasty and offering a true glimpse into the luxurious life he led while residing in his princely manor. Among the finds, jade artifacts were numerous, with the jade belt being the finest — it consisted of 25 sections of mutton-fat jade inlaid with gold filigree and carved with hollow lingzhi mushroom patterns. The jade was lustrous and exquisitely carved. The first three sections of the belt were adorned with 11 sapphires, 12 rubies, six white jade pieces, and one rare cat’s-eye gem, all set in double-layered translucent gold. The craftsmanship was exceptional and rare, making it a masterpiece among the unearthed items. Ming Dynasty silk textiles are historically renowned, and those found in Zhu Tan’s tomb mainly included robes, mostly woven with gold thread. These fabrics hold significant value for understanding and studying the silk-weaving techniques of the Ming era.

The carved white jade cup, shaped like a five-petaled flower, features thin and transparent walls. There are also two jade gui (ritual tablets), made of nephrite and mutton-fat jade respectively, measuring 29.6 cm in length, 6 cm in width, and 1 cm in thickness. The jade inkstone, carved from nephrite, has a curved end and an oval inkwell, resting on a wooden base carved with upturned and downturned lotuses and gilded with a Sumeru pedestal. Other jade items include jade pendants, jade brush tubes, and jade brush stands. The carving and polishing techniques of these jade objects fully demonstrate the remarkable skill and intelligence of the Chinese laboring people over 500 years ago.

The rich and precious collection of unearthed artifacts displayed in the exhibition hall of the Tomb of Prince Huan of Lu of the Ming Dynasty represents splendid treasures of ancient Chinese culture and holds immense historical value for researching the politics, economy, and culture of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Tan (1370–1389) was the tenth son of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. In the 3rd year of the Hongwu reign [1370], he was granted the title of Prince of Lu. In the 18th year [1385], he took up his fief in Yanzhou. He had a fondness for literature, respected scholars, and was skilled in poetry. However, he consumed alchemical elixirs, which poisoned him and blinded him. The emperor disapproved of his actions. He passed away in the 22nd year [1389].

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