Tomb of Madame Zhong, Zhu De's Mother

Tomb of Madame Zhong, Zhu De's Mother

The Tomb of Madame Zhong, Zhu De's Mother is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located to the southwest ofJiaoding Mountain in the scenic area, it was first built in 1944, and underwent maintenance and expansion in 1986 and 2003. It is an earthen and stone tomb. The two-tiered platform in front of the tomb features the essay "Recalling My Mother" and the report from the April 12, 1944, issue of the Liberation Daily in Yan'an about the grand memorial service held for Madame Zhong by all walks of life in Yan'an.

Madame Zhong, Zhu De’s mother, was the only woman in Mao Zedong’s life whom he personally referred to as a “great maternal figure.” Her noble character and lofty morals profoundly influenced Zhu De’s life and led to the creation of his classic work “Recalling My Mother.” In 1944, when Madame Zhong passed away in her hometown, she was secretly buried here out of fear that the Kuomintang might desecrate her grave again. Two months later, the news reached Yan'an. Upon Mao Zedong’s proposal, the CPC Central Committee held a grand memorial service in Yan'an. Leaders of the Party and state, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, sent wreaths and elegiac couplets. Mao Zedong wrote: “As a mother, one should learn from this national heroine and virtuous mother; this woman is worthy of being called a model of the working class.” The CPC Central Committee wrote: "Only a mother of the working people can nurture a leader of the working people." ... To promote the spirit of Madame Zhong, Zhu De’s mother, the tomb site was further expanded in 2004 with additions including a square, worship terrace, and landscaping facilities, making it an important place for people to “commemorate this great motherly figure and promote the spirit of Madame Zhong, Zhu De’s mother.”