To the east of Nanjing lies the tomb of Ming emperor
Hongwu (1368-1398) and his empress. Construction of the tomb began
in 1381 and was completed in 1383. Although originally much larger
than the Ming tombs near Beijing, most of the original structure
was destroyed by the Taipings. The road leading up to the tomb is
known as the Sacred Way and it lined with charming stone animals
including lions, camels and horses.
Further up the road there are also stone statues
of military men in armor and civil officials. This path leading
to the tomb is bends at intervals, supposedly to confuse evil spirits
who can only travel in straight lines. At the end of the Sacred
Way there is a pavilion followed by a large courtyard and the Soul
Tower.
