Míng Xiàolíng Tomb

On the southern slope of Zǐjīn Mountain is the 14th-century Míng Xiàolíng of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the only Ming emperor to be buried outside of Běijīng.The first section of the 618m avenue leading up to the mausoleum takes you along the 'spirit path', lined with stone statues of lions, camels, elephants and horses. There's also a mythical animal called a xiè zhì – which has a mane and a single horn on its head – and a qílín, which has a scaly body, a cow's tail, deer's hooves and one horn. These stone animals drive away evil spirits and guard the tomb.

As you enter the first courtyard, a paved pathway leads to a pavilion housing several stelae. The next gate leads to a large courtyard with the Línghún Pagoda (Línghún Tǎ), a mammoth rectangular stone structure. Look for the stalactites and stalagmites formed by years of water dripping down the walls. Walk through a long tunnel and up a wall, 350m in diameter, to get to a huge earth mound. Beneath this mound is the unexcavated tomb vault of Hongwu.

The area surrounding the tomb is the Míng Xiàolíng Scenic Area (明孝陵风景区; Míng Xiàolíng Fēngjǐngqūf). A tree-lined pathway winds around pavilions and picnic grounds and ends at scenic Zǐxiá Lake, ideal for strolling.