As the tomb of Ming Dynasty Taizu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, the Ming Dynasty Tomb is located at the southern foot of the Purple Mountain in Nanjing. The cemetery was built in the Yongle period and took more than 20 years to complete.
The Ming Tomb is one of the largest and most architecturally beautiful imperial mausoleums in mainland China, and is also listed as the world's earliest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
So far, the underground palace of the Ming Tomb has not undergone any form of theft and excavation, and its integrity is rare.
Why has the Ming Tomb been able to maintain tranquility after more than 600 years of vicissitudes? Is it because the tomb robbers are in awe and dare not invade, or is it because they lack ability?
The topography of the Ming Tomb
In terms of site selection, the Ming Tomb chose the Dulong Temple at the southern foot of the Purple Mountain, which is located in the center of Nanjing.
There are not only beautiful natural scenery in the surrounding area, such as Purple Mountain, Xuanwu Lake and Zhongshan Scenic Area, but also historical and cultural attractions such as Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Ming City Wall, Xuanwu Gate, etc., which can be called one of the tourist attractions in Nanjing.
Thanks to the superior topography, the Ming Tomb has been effectively supervised and protected.
Defensive measures of the Ming Tomb
In order to defend against tomb robbers, many measures were taken during the construction of the Ming Tomb.
First of all, the mausoleum was not dug vertically downward, but horizontally through the Purple Mountain to dig an underground palace. This form makes the underground palace more solid and less susceptible to fatigue damage or collapse due to external factors.
Secondly, the main road of the mausoleum is not located in the middle of the treasure city, and it is offset from it to confuse the line of sight and make it difficult for tomb robbers to find the entrance.
In addition, a thick layer of pebbles is also spread on the top of the underground palace, which is not only convenient for storing rainwater, preventing water from flooding the underground palace, but also has the dual effect of anti-corrosion and anti-theft.
The last link is to use the thirteen funeral techniques when burying Zhu Yuanzhang to create a smoke screen to cover the real burial site. These techniques are ingenious and rigorous to keep tomb robbers away from thousands of miles away.
Historical preservation of the Ming Tomb
Throughout history, dynasties have been attentive to the protection of the Ming Tomb. The Ming Dynasty set up a special filial piety guard and a shrine supervisor to be responsible for guarding, and the main soldiers were of good character, enjoyed lifelong benefits, and followed the family inheritance system. These loyal guards fought for more than 240 years to preserve the Ming Tomb.
At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, although the Qing army had occupied Nanjing, it did not encroach on the Ming Tomb, but respected and protected it. Members of the royal family visited or sent special people to pay tribute on many occasions and distribute money and goods to the officers and soldiers. The Qing Dynasty also set up warning signs in front of the mausoleum to inform the world that cultural relics should not be destroyed.
From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, even during the civil strife in the Taiping Heavens, the Ming Tomb was not seriously damaged, and even Hong Xiuquan, who regarded himself as a descendant of Taizu, respected and defended it.
It was not until after the Xinhai Revolution that Nanjing became the new capital, and Sun Yat-sen and other national leaders also paid tribute to the Ming Tomb.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Ming Tomb, as a national key cultural relics protection area, has been repeatedly repaired and opened to the world to enjoy. Respected and protected by generations of rulers, without large-scale vandalism or theft.
Feng Shui legends about the Ming Tomb of filial piety
Not only the actual investment in anti-theft and the protection of the past dynasties, but also the feng shui legends and mythological stories of the Ming Xiaoling Tomb are also deterrent and intimidating to tomb robbers.
It is rumored that the Purple Mountain is shaped like a hovering dragon, and the Ming Tomb is in the position of the dragon. This dragon is the god of the Ming Dynasty and the cornerstone of the Ming Empire. If someone dares to invade the Ming Tomb, it will alarm the dragon and cause unpredictable things.
It is also said that there are endless treasures and ingenious mechanisms in the underground palace, and if accidentally touched, the palace will destroy itself or be buried. Moreover, before the funeral, Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly stated that if anyone tried to disturb the tomb, he would be rewarded with painful revenge and his family would be destroyed.
Although such legends lack scientific basis, they are widely circulated among the people, and tomb robbers are feared.
The Ming Tomb has both historical and cultural value
From the perspective of status, the Ming Tomb is not only limited to the imperial tomb, but also a treasure house of history and culture. Its distinctive architectural style and layout of the Ming Dynasty integrates the characteristics of politics, economy, culture, religion and even art.
In addition, the Ming filial piety mausoleum complex includes the Shinto, the big red gate, the sacred pillar, the Jinshui Bridge, the Ming Tower, the treasure city, the treasure top and so on, each part has a unique symbolic meaning and artistic value;
Many precious cultural relics and historical materials are also preserved here, such as Zhu Yuanzhang's edict, Ma's edict, and the sacrificial texts of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, which have become the key to interpreting the history of the Ming Dynasty.
In short, after more than 600 years of wind, frost, rain and snow, no one openly provoked, but because of its stable geographical location, exquisite anti-theft measures, respect for historical protection, magical feng shui legends and far-reaching cultural values.
It is these factors that work together to build a strong line of defense that prevents tomb robbers from trespassing. It is incumbent upon us to cherish this legacy and let it continue to pass on its wealth and inspiration to future generations.