SHIJIAZHUANG - A tombstone dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1384-1644) has been discovered in northern China's Hebei province, local authorities said Tuesday.

Found in Zhaopai village in Nanhe county, the tombstone, believed to have been made during the reign of Emperor Jiajing, has a history of 471 years, according to the county's publicity department.

The cuboid is 43 cm tall, 43 cm wide and 14 cm thick, with an inscription of 484 characters.

The epitaph records the history of the tomb owner surnamed Zhao and the genealogy of the Zhao family since they migrated to Nanhe in the early Ming Dynasty. It also praises the family's noble moral character.

Lan Jianhui, a local history expert, said the well-preserved tombstone provides important materials for the study of local funeral customs and culture during the period as well as the history of human migration in the early Ming Dynasty.