Tomb of Prince Jing of Liaoning from the Ming Dynasty

Tomb of Prince Jing of Liaoning from the Ming Dynasty

The Tomb of Prince Jing of Liaoning from the Ming Dynasty is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in the central part of Baling Mountain. The tomb’s occupant, Zhu Zhi, was the 15th son of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. In the 25th year of the Hongwu era (1392 AD), he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Liaoning and established his princedom in Guangning (now Beizhen County, Liaoning). During the Jianwen era, when the "Jingnan" rebellion broke out, Emperor Jianwen summoned Zhu Zhi back to the capital. As the Prince of Xiang of Jingzhou had died and his fief was abolished, Zhu Zhi was relocated to Jingzhou. He passed away in the 22nd year of the Yongle era (1424 AD), was posthumously given the title “Jian” (Simplicity), and was buried here in the first year of the Hongxi era (1425 AD).

The tomb was robbed during the late Ming Dynasty. It was excavated and cleared in 1987. The existing earthen mound is 3.5 meters high with a perimeter of 120 meters, surrounded by a burial enclosure. The tomb chamber is built with brick and stone in an arched structure, laid out in a “cross” shape, covering an inner area of 102 square meters, and includes an antechamber, central chamber, and two side chambers. The double coffins were placed in the rear chamber. The excavation unearthed over 120 wooden figurines dressed in attire of northern ethnic minorities, more than 30 pieces of gold, silver, and lacquered banquet vessels, as well as an epitaph box and other cultural relics.

The Tomb of Prince Jing of Liaoning from the Ming Dynasty is currently the only excavated and cleared imperial princely tomb of the Ming Dynasty in southern China, and is hailed as the “Underground Palace of the South.”

The 15th son of Zhu Yuanzhang, and the 14th in birth order, his mother was Consort Han. He was born in Nanjing, with ancestral roots in Fengyang, Anhui. Born on the 15th day of the second month in the 10th year of the Hongwu era (March 24, 1377), he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Wei on the first day of the first month in the 11th year of Hongwu, and on the ninth day of the third month in the 25th year of Hongwu, was reassigned as the Prince of Liaoning and established his princedom in Guangning Prefecture.

Biography

Enfeoffed as the Prince of Wei on the first day of the first month in the 11th year of the Hongwu era, and reassigned as the Prince of Liaoning on the ninth day of the third month in the 25th year of Hongwu, establishing his princedom in Guangning Prefecture. Due to the palace not being completed, he resided north of the Daling River and set up a camp enclosed by fences. The Emperor ordered Marquis of Wuding, Guo Ying, to construct city walls and palaces. Guo Ying, who was the father of the prince’s consort, oversaw the construction work strictly. Around that time, Goryeo from within the country... Zhu Zhi's detailed information++