Mingzuling is the crystallization of the endeavor and wisdom of Chinese people. The stone carvings of Zuling are the beginning of the system of ceremonial weaponry, clothing and imperial mausoleum in Ming Dynasty. It is also the fruit of the exquisite skills of ancient Chinese sculpture artists, ranking top in stone carvings in the Ming Dynasty. The combination and arrangement of its stone carvings not only inherit the Tang and Song Dynasties, but also integrate many other innovative elements, including the reference of folk customs and traditions, as well as the religious and superstitious elements of the Yuan Dynasty. After years of research and comparison, Shinto stone carvings, as the core cultural relics of Mingzuling, have the following characteristics:

 

First, the order of arrangement of Shinto stone carvings of Mingzuling is headed by four male Kirin, which is obviously the inheritance and development of stone carvings of Tang and Song tombs. "Kirin" is a "blessed animal" in myths and legends. In the Book of Changes, it is mentioned that "saints are quiet and upright, saints arrive, the people obey, and the Kirin comes". The appearance of Kirin heralds the birth of a wise holy Lord and the arrival of a peaceful and prosperous time. The Mingzuling was the birthplace of the Ming Dynasty's. The use of Kirin Town as the head further demonstrated the "beginning" status handed down by the sages and the destiny of heaven. Next to Kirin are six pairs of squatting lions with great momentum. The lion is the king of all animals. The setting in front of the mausoleum not only gives people a sense of majesty, but also implies that the lion has changed from the king to a tame servant in front of the emperor, which undoubtedly further sets off the dignity of the emperor. Located behind the lion are two opposite pillars, one of which imitates the Tang Dynasty and the other imitates the Song Dynasty. The pillars are also called "Huabiao" and "Hengbiao". In ancient times, they were used to indicate the King is willing to hear good advice. Setting up the pillars in the Mingzuling means "watching the Emperor going out and waiting the Emperor coming in", implying that this is a piece of "auspicious soil" with the origin of prosperity and the Emperor. Behind the pillar are 10 pairs of stone men from south to north, including two pairs of horse officials, one pair of horse waiters, one pair of attendants, two pairs of civil servants, two pairs of military attach é s and two pairs of eunuchs. This is a lively representation of the royal ceremony of the Ming Dynasty.
Second, the existing relics of the Mingzuling are all symmetrically distributed on the 250-meter-long Shinto axis. The order of arrangement from south to north is: stone carvings, Jinshuiqiao site, Lingxingmen site, Xiangdian site and Xuangong site. According to the "Brief of Emperor Township", there were three city walls, three Jinshui Bridges, 21 pairs of Shinto stone carvings, nearly 1,000 pavilions and private houses in the Zuling tomb, covering an area of 10,000 mu, and more than 70,000 cypress plants were planted inside and outside the city. It is very grand and magnificent.
Quantity-wise, there are 21 pairs of stone carvings in the Ming Dynasty's mausoleum. In terms of the construction of the Ming Dynasty's mausoleum, there are regulations that descendants cannot deceive their ancestors. That is, quantity and volume of the stone carvings in the later imperial mausoleum cannot surpass that of their ancestors. However, because the Mingzuling (1385-1413) was built later than the Ming Imperial Mausoleum (1366-1379), the quantity of stone carvings of the Mingzuling was 10 pairs less than that of the Ming Imperial Mausoleum. However, the Xiao Ling Mausoleum and the Ming Tombs did not surpass the Zuling Mausoleum in terms of quantity or the size of stone carvings.
In terms of species, both the Ming ancestral mausoleum and the Ming imperial mausoleum were established according to the same mountain mausoleum system. The setting of stone carvings in front of the mausoleum should be consistent, but there are fewer tigers, sheep and leopards than the Ming Imperial Mausoleum, and fewer elephants, camels and mongooses than the Ming Tomb and the Ming Tombs. The main reason is that the late Ming Dynasty remade the grave and jade system and the ancestral mausoleum imitated the imperial mausoleum system, so the imperial mausoleum was not set up and the ancestral mausoleum was not set up.
Third, due to the different politics and economy in different times, people in different times have different hobbies and preferences, and stone carving art will also reflect different artistic characteristics. Shinto stone carvings in the Ming Dynasty's ancestral mausoleum are the latest group of stone carvings made and set up in the Ming Dynasty's imperial mausoleum. Therefore, it can has more Ming Dynasty characteristics than the Ming Dynasty's imperial mausoleum, Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Ming Ming Tombs in carving techniques. Because the stone carvings of the Ming Imperial Mausoleum were made and set up in the early Ming Dynasty, their carving techniques followed the style of Tang and Song Dynasties, with rough and simple romance. On the other hand, the stone carvings of Xiaoling and the Ming Tombs, based on the stone carvings of the Imperial Mausoleum, have developed towards rigour, delicacy, luxury and realism through transformation and innovation, with the characteristics of a transitional period.

The stone carvings of Mingzuling used relief and semi-relief techniques as a whole in carving techniques. After careful carving and fine grinding, the details of the stone carvings appeared exquisite, smooth, gorgeous and vivid. The modeling and carving skills shows the rich imagination and high creative spirit of stone carvers. At the same time, their skillful and superb carving techniques also fully reflect the extraordinary intelligence of the ancient working people in China.
To sum up, the stone carvings of Zuling, following the Imperial Mausoleum, Xiaoling Mausoleum and Ming Tombs, are based on the inheritance of the stone carvings of the Ming Dynasty. They have drawn on the essence of the stone carvings of past dynasties and created new techniques of the stone carvings of the Ming Dynasty through transformation and innovation. It has become an outstanding representative of the stone carving art in the Ming Dynasty in terms of strict regulation, skilled techniques, beautiful shapes and luxurious decorations. It has created a new achievement of the stone carving art in the late feudal society of our country and is a model of the stone carving art following the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It provides us with rare material materials for studying Ming history, Ming customs, Ming stone carving techniques, Ming costumes, Ming tombs, even paleography, ancient buildings and ancient paintings.