Ming Zuling is the cenotaph of Zhu Yuanzhang's great-grandfather and the actual burial place of his grandfather. After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he respected his great-grandfather Zhu as Emperor Xuandi, his great-grandfather Zhu as Emperor Hengdi and his grandfather Zhu Chuyi as Emperor Yu.
In the nineteenth year of Hongwu, the ancestral tomb was built, and it took a long time to build, ranking among the best in the Ming Tombs. When every emperor is in power, he should not only manage his own land, but also hope that this country can be taken over by his descendants in the future. Therefore, in addition to consolidating the political power, we should also find a place of feng shui after death and continue to bless the prosperity of the royal family.
But Zhu Yuanzhang buried his ancestors in the water. What's the special significance of this? When every emperor is in power, he should not only manage his own land, but also hope that this country can be taken over by his descendants in the future. Therefore, in addition to consolidating the political power, we should also find a place of feng shui after death and continue to bless the prosperity of the royal family. But Zhu Yuanzhang buried his ancestors in the water. What's the special significance of this?
At the end of Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang's grandfather Zhu Chu and his family fled to Sizhou and Xuyi to live in Sunjiagang in order to escape the government's slavery. There is an empty nest here, where Zhu Chuyi often sleeps.
Once, a Taoist priest passed by and marveled at the situation here, exclaiming: If you are buried here, your descendants will be the sons of heaven. Ten years later, before Zhu Chu died, his son Zhu Shizhen was buried here. Half a year later, his wife Chen was pregnant with Zhu Yuanzhang.
After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, perhaps it was the traditional ancestor worship thought or his grandfather's last words that prompted him to build the ancestral grave at all costs. It took countless human and financial resources, and it took 28 years to finally build all the tombs of the three generations of Gaozu, Grandfather and Grandfather.
However, Zuling is not located on one side of mountains and hills, but on the land of hills and depressions, which is constantly disturbed by floods. In A.D. 1680, the Ming Zuling was flooded.
When the peasant rebels in Li Zicheng attacked Fengyang, Anhui Province, they heard that they gave a death order to destroy the Ming Zuling, which means "breaking Long Mai".
References: Chronology of Zhu Zuzhang, Sihong He Zhi.