In the hills outside the old capital of Nanjing in southeastern China lies the ancient stone quarry of Yangshan. Worked since the time of the Six Dynasties (from the early 3rd century AD to the late 6th century AD), limestone from the Yangshan Quarry has been used for the construction of buildings, walls, and statues in and around Nanjing. Especially after Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming dynasty in 1368, the Yangshan quarry became the main source of stone for all the major construction projects that changed the face of Nanjing. Today, the quarry is hardly known even among locals living in Nanjing. However, people who have an interest in Chinese history periodically visit the site to gasp at the size of the gigantic unfinished stele that lies abandoned there.
The base of the unfinished stele at Yangshan Quarry. Photo credit: Megalithic China
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