The dynasty of the princes of Jinjiang was founded by the nephew of Hongwu, the first Ming emperor. Following the model of the Ming tombs, entrance to the site is via a sacred avenue, known as the Way of the Spirits, which leads to a huge pavilion. The tombs lie behind this, sheltered by a hill and laid out along a north-south axis as prescribed by the principles of Chinese geomancy (Feng Shui). They were pillaged by the Manchurians after their return to power.