Located 23 kilometers east of Nanjing city, Yangshan Stele Material is situated at the southern foot of Yangshan. This site was an ancient stone quarry before the Ming Dynasty, where the three parts of the stele – the base, the cap, and the body – are already shaped but never assembled due to limitations. Today, we have the opportunity to witness one of history’s unfinished grand projects. If assembled, the stele would stand at an impressive 73 meters tall.
Public transportation to Yangshan Stele Material from Nanjing city is limited, and waiting times can be long. It is recommended to drive if possible. At the foot of Yangshan, there is the Ming Culture Village, which replicates a Ming Dynasty village with features such as a security bureau, shops, and a martial arts platform.
Within the Ming Culture Village, there are performances like Imperial Marriage Bestowal, Water Lion Flying, and Eastern Factory Martial Arts Training. The specific show times can be found on wooden signs within the village. Additionally, there are recreational activities like archery that require extra payment.
From Ming Culture Village to Yangshan Stele Material, one can either take the ancient quarry road or the Yanmen Mountain Strange Stone Slope. It is advised to take one path going and the other on the return. Along the Yanmen Mountain Strange Stone Slope, there are many oddly shaped rocks. At the signpost, it indicates the right path leads to the stele cap and body, while the left leads to the base.
The stele cap stands 10 meters high and 20 meters long, with three square stone holes carved halfway up the giant rock, presumably for preparatory work for future cutting. Behind the stele cap, the massive stele body lies horizontally on the ground, already as tall as a three-story building without even standing upright. The stele base is about 200 meters away from the cap and appears like a small hill.
Service Facilities Parking Lot:
【Nanjing Yangshan Stele Materials Parking Lot】 Reference Price: Free; Address: Yangshan Stele Materials Parking Lot, Outside Zhongshan Gate, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province; Spaces: 100
