Beijing, Feb. 23 -- Ming Xiao Tomb in east China's Nanjing, where the Ming dynasty emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is buried, is a world cultural heritage site. A new museum located at the gate of the Ming Xiao Tomb tourist site opened to the public on Wednesday.
The museum, which is free for visitors, provides an introduction to the history and culture of the Ming dynasty.
The new three-storey museum was built in the architectural style of the Ming dynasty. Ming Xiao Tomb is where Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of Ming dynasty, was buried. The large museum exhibits the relics of the tomb, and explains the background of the dynasty. The local government has planned to build the museum since 2003.
The first floor features stories about the founding of Ming dynasty. A 360 degree theater projects images about the era.
The second floor houses a replica of the underground palace of the Ming tombs.
The third floor displays the relics from the Ming dynasty. It also features a hall showing Ming dynasty furniture. Another hall showcases the folk culture of the era.
He Yun'ao, the director of Natural Legacy Research Inst. from Nanjing University, said, "The museum reflects the achievements of archeological and academic studies of the Ming Xiao Tomb since the 1980s, especially those on the history and architecture of the era. It develops the connotation of the Ming Xiao Tomb as a world cultural heritage site."
Ming Xiao Tomb in Nanjing, along with the Ming tombs in Beijing, combines to provide a panorama of the Ming dynasty, which spanned 276 years, from 1368 to 1644.
