The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, where Emperor Ming Taizu (respected title of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang) and his queen were buried, lies at the northern foot of Mount Zijin (Mount Purple Gold), adjacent to Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum on the east and Meihua (Chinese Plum) Mountain on the south. With a more than 22.5 kilometers of wall, the mausoleum is the largest emperor mausoleum in Nanjing. Most of its ground wood-structured buildings were destroyed in 1853, with the brick and stone buildings still intact,  including Rectangular city, Inner Red Gate and Jinyue Tablet.

The sacred way started from Sifangchang (Rectangular city) which was a pavilion where a splendid carved stone stele for memory of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang was enshrined, on which a hymn by his fourth son was inscribed. Now, the top of the pavilion is gone. In the middle of the 1800-meter-long winding sacred way, there are 6 kinds and 12 pairs of animals guarding the tomb. Beyond is a pair of decorative columns called Huabiao in Chinese. Four pairs of ministers and generals have been standing there for centuries to accompany their His Majesty beneath.

On an inscribed stone tablet outside of the gate of the mausoleum, an official notification of the local government in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) ordered to protect the tomb. Inside of the gate, there is a pavilion in which 5 steles stand. The one in the middle was inscribed with 4 Chinese characters, which was written by Emperor Kangxi in his third inspection tour. Behind the pavilion, there used to be other annexes, however most of them collapsed into relics from which the original splendor can still be traced.

On the south of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the Meihua (Plum Flower) Mountain, which was formerly the tomb of Sun Quan, emperor of Dongwu. The mountain is covered with more than 10,000 plum flowers and it is always one of the most attractive resorts for Nanjing visitors who appreciate the flowers in spring. Its scenic spots include the Plum Appreciation Pavilion and Bo’ai (Extensive Love) Pavilion.