Lushan Museum

Lushan Museum

Lushan Museum is the former residence of Mao Zedong during his stay on Mount Lushan, known as the Lulin Villa. Because the house number was 1, it is also called "Lulin No. 1." The villa was built in 1961, featuring a single-story flat roof with an inner courtyard in the center, covering a total area of 2,700 square meters. In 1984, it was converted into the site of the museum. The collections in the museum showcase the brilliant historical and cultural heritage of Lushan, including ancient bronzes unearthed locally and collected from other regions, as well as ceramics from various dynasties. There are also stone rubbings of calligraphy works created by famous Tang and Song dynasty calligraphers such as Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, Mi Fu, and Huang Tingjian during their stays on Mount Lushan. Additionally, there are calligraphy and painting scrolls by renowned Ming and Qing artists such as Tang Yin, Zheng Banqiao, and Zhu Da. The most precious items are the “Five Hundred Arhats Painting,” the blood-written “Avatamsaka Sutra,” and crystal Buddhist beads, all of which are national first-class cultural relics.

The museum displays fine pieces among historical ceramics, including celadon from the Han Dynasty, tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty, shadow-blue porcelain of the Song Dynasty, blue-and-white porcelain of the Ming Dynasty, and doucai porcelain of the Qing Dynasty. Particularly, the exhibits from the Ming and Qing dynasties are delicate and exquisitely crafted.

Lushan Museum is located by Lulin Lake on Mount Lushan, beneath Jiuzhi Peak, surrounded by mountains on three sides and backed by Lulin Lake, offering beautiful and secluded scenery. This was the residence of Comrade Mao Zedong during his stay on Mount Lushan, known as the Lulin Villa. Because the house number was one, it is also called "Lulin No. 1" Villa. It was built in 1960, covering an area of more than 20,000 square meters. The courtyard is shaded by trees, filled with fragrant flowers, and features lush lawns, including rare plants such as Canadian hemlock, Japanese golden larch, metasequoia, Chinese arborvitae, and cloud-patterned rhododendron. There is also a gushing deer spring, splashing water droplets, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere.

Lulin No. 1 Villa consists of the main building and auxiliary rooms. The main building has a construction area of about 3,000 square meters, with a single-story flat roof. It is a quadrangle with national characteristics and a blend of Chinese and Western styles, with a floor plan resembling the Chinese character “回” (meaning “return”). The center is an open-air inner courtyard, surrounded by corridors. The halls, rooms, and chambers around it are well arranged and spacious. The open and enclosed outer corridors are connected to the rooms, and one end of the corridor leads to an octagonal small pavilion, which serves as a resting kiosk. The exterior of the main building is plain and simple, yet the walls and roof are constructed of reinforced concrete capable of withstanding a 500-ton bomb. The rooms are spacious and tall, with the Political Bureau meeting hall reaching ten meters in height, which can also serve as a ballroom or screening room. The doors are thick, soundproof, and bulletproof. There is also an underground passage leading directly outside the courtyard. The circular driveway within the courtyard allows vehicles to reach the front and back gates directly. This villa was specially designed and built for Comrade Mao Zedong. The main building includes Mao’s bedroom, -’s bedroom, study, reception room, meeting room, small kitchen, dining room, and rest room for guards and medical staff. In addition to the main building, there are several auxiliary rooms, including a canteen, boiler room, two guard posts, gatehouse, and a swimming changing room on the shore of Lulin Lake.

During the 1961 Lushan Work Conference of the CPC Central Committee and the 1970 9th Plenary Session of the 2nd Central Committee of the CPC, Comrade Mao Zedong worked, rested, and lived in this villa. Especially during the 9th Plenary Session, Mao held multiple small meetings of the Political Bureau here, met with - , Chen Boda, and other central leaders, and thwarted the plot by - and his faction to seize power. Most of Mao Zedong’s indoor photos taken on Mount Lushan were shot at Lulin No. 1 Villa. After Mao left Lushan, the villa was guarded by the military and sealed off. In 1985, it was converted into the Lushan Museum and officially opened to the public for visiting, a function it continues to serve today.

The Lushan Museum was established in 1972. After moving into Lulin No. 1 Villa in 1985, it restored and displayed Mao Zedong’s bedroom and bathroom, -’s bedroom and bathroom as they originally were, and produced explanatory signs for the reception room, Political Bureau meeting hall, front and back gates, study, dining room, and rest room for guards and medical staff. It also held exhibitions such as the Picture Exhibition of Mao Zedong at Lulin No. 1, the Picture Exhibition of Party and State Leaders on Mount Lushan, and the Exhibition of Inscriptions by Party and State Leaders about Mount Lushan. Additionally, a special room was dedicated to displaying cultural relics, premium gifts, and other artifacts left by Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling at Meilu Villa, as well as relics of other notable figures from the Republic of China era on Mount Lushan. These include a porcelain plate with the character “Chiang” used by Chiang Kai-shek, Soong Mei-ling’s ivory-handled fan, and a sword and bronze inkstone gifted to Chiang on his 50th birthday by officials. Therefore, visiting Lulin No. 1 Villa not only provides a detailed understanding of Mao Zedong’s activities on Mount Lushan but also offers deep insight into the historical artifacts of the so-called “Summer Capital” of the Republic of China government.

In addition, the Lushan Museum also displays ancient pottery, jade artifacts, bronzes, stone carvings, coins from various dynasties, crystal jewelry, craft masterpieces, and other toys, both unearthed locally and collected from other areas.

In 1993, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mao Zedong’s birth, the Lushan Mao Zedong Poetry Stele Garden was built on the slope at the northern end of Lulin Lake, outside the Lulin No. 1 Villa. The entire poetry stele garden is set amidst green peaks and graceful ridges, presenting an elegant and bright atmosphere. The poetry stele garden was completed at the end of June 1993, covering an area of 4,400 square meters. It consists of the main stele pavilion, auxiliary stele pavilion, and east and west wing corridors, all built with stone structures that appear solemn and steady. The steles are inscribed with Mao Zedong’s handwriting of “Climbing Lushan,” “Inscription on the Immortal’s Cave,” and several ancient poems.

The Former Residence of Comrade Mao Zedong on Mount Lushan and the Mao Zedong Poetry Stele Garden are bases for revolutionary traditional education and important cultural attractions within the Lushan Scenic Area. Since opening to the public in 1985, they have received over 200,000 domestic and international visitors annually. Dozens of Party and state leaders, including -, Li Peng, -, -, and -, have visited and inscribed their names here.

Suggested Duration

1 hour

Transportation

1. Walk from the entrance of the Lushan Scenic Area, approximately 2 kilometers

2. Take the sightseeing bus within the Lushan Scenic Area

Ticket

Included in the Lushan Scenic Area ticket

Opening Hours

Monday–Sunday (10:00–18:00)

Location

No. 1, Lulin Road, Lushan District, Jiujiang, Jiangxi

Further Reading:

· National First-Class Museum of China