The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

By china tour on 2009-12-17 17:02:00 | Beijing Tours

The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, or the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, is the fianl resting place of Mao Zedong, situated in the south of the south of the Tian'anmen Square, between the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Zhengyang Gate. The Memorial Hall provides people a place to show their respects to Chairman Mao, the founder and first Chairman of the People's Republic of China. Although Mao had wished to be cremated, his body was embalmed, and construction of a mausoleum began shortly after his death. The Memorial Hall laid its foundation on November 14, 1976, immediately after his death, and was completed on May 14, 1977.
The foundation is built by claret granite with 105.5 meters long each side and 4 meters high. It is a square building about 260 meters from south to north and 220 meters from west to east. The wall is covered with light yellow granite, which makes the hall very bright and solemn.The remains of the Great Helmsman are on display for public to view. People line up for hundreds of feet every day morning to see the former chairman, many paying tribute to him with flowers which can be rented at the entrance on the north side.
The main extrance is the northern gate. After you enter it, you will first see a whit marble statue of Chairman Mao which is more than 3 meters high. Behind the statue, there is a velvet fresco of "motherland of China" hanging on the wall. Go through the golden wooden gate, you will visit the respecting hall. The coffin platform made by black granite lies in brilliant flowers, carrying the scattering crystal coffin on it. Inside the coffin lies the body of Chairman Mao, on the coffin covers the bright red party flag. In the south hall, you can find Chairman Mao's calligraphy: a poem of "Man Jiang Hong and comrade Guo Moruo" on the white marble wall. Then you can find a souvenir shop at the exit on the south side.