Monument to the People's Heroes

Monument to the People's Heroes

The Monument to the People's Heroes is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level, and a classic red tourism destination.

The Monument to the People's Heroes is located in the center of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. On September 30, 1949, the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference decided to build the Monument in the capital to honor the martyrs who died in the People's Liberation War and the people's revolution. That afternoon at 6 p.m., all the delegates attending the CPPCC held a foundation-laying ceremony for the monument in the square in front of Tiananmen. After extensive nationwide discussions, the design of the monument was finalized. In 1961, it was listed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as one of the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. Situated north of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the Monument was built by the Chinese government to commemorate revolutionary martyrs in modern Chinese history.

Design and Construction

On September 30, 1949, the First Plenary Session of the CPPCC decided to build the Monument to the People's Heroes in Beijing to commemorate those who gave their lives in the People's Liberation War and the people's revolution. That afternoon at 6 p.m., all the delegates attending the CPPCC held a foundation-laying ceremony in the square in front of Tiananmen. Led by Chairman Mao Zedong, the chief representatives of all CPPCC delegations took turns shoveling soil to lay the foundation stone. After widespread national discussion, the design of the monument was determined. By 1952, top architects and experts from across the country had submitted over a hundred design proposals. These were refined through public feedback collected via various channels before the final design was selected.

The Monument to the People's Heroes Construction Committee was chaired by the Mayor of Beijing, with Zheng Zhenduo and Liang Sicheng serving as vice chairpersons. The committee established an engineering office divided into seven groups: design, construction, quarrying, art work, and others. Additionally, a special committee led by Fan Wenlan, Director of the Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was responsible for researching the historical themes required for the bas-reliefs. The construction of the monument officially began on August 1, 1952, and was completed on April 22, 1958. It was unveiled with great ceremony on May 1 of the same year.

Relief Structure

The Monument to the People's Heroes is situated in the center of Tiananmen Square, approximately 463 meters south of Tiananmen and 440 meters north of Zhengyangmen, along the north-south central axis. With its solemn and majestic presence, the Monument embodies a uniquely Chinese national style. Together with Tiananmen and Zhengyangmen, it forms a harmonious, unified, and complete architectural ensemble in the square. The Monument is square-shaped, covering a floor area of 3,000 square meters. It consists of three parts: the base, the Sumeru pedestal, and the main body, with a total height of 37.94 meters. The base has two levels, surrounded by white marble railings and accessible by steps on all four sides. The lower level base is shaped like a crabapple blossom, measuring 50.44 meters wide from east to west and 61.54 meters long from north to south. The upper level base is square. Above the base are two tiers of Sumeru pedestals—large and small. The upper, smaller Sumeru pedestal is adorned with eight floral wreaths made of peonies, lotuses, chrysanthemums, and drapery around its perimeter. The lower Sumeru pedestal features eight large white marble bas-reliefs on its four sides, depicting scenes of “The Opium Destruction at Humen,” “The Jintian Uprising,” “The Wuchang Uprising,” “The May Fourth Movement,” “The May 30th Movement,” “The Nanchang Uprising,” “The Anti-Japanese Guerrilla War,” and “The Victory Crossing of the Yangtze River.” On either side of the “Victory Crossing of the Yangtze River” relief, there are two decorative reliefs themed “Supporting the Front” and “Welcoming the People’s Liberation Army.” The bas-reliefs stand 2 meters high and stretch 40.68 meters in total length, featuring over 170 figures that vividly and succinctly portray the Chinese people’s great history of anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolutionary struggle over the past century, particularly the 28 years of struggle under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

Admission Fee

Free

Opening Hours

Monday–Sunday (Open all day)

Location

Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District, Beijing (Center of Chang’an Avenue)

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level