Tiananmen Square

　　   Tiananmen Square is located in the center of Beijing. It stretches 880 meters from north to south and 500 meters from east to west, covering an area of 440,000 square meters, and can accommodate one million people for grand gatherings, making it the largest city square in the world today.

　　   Tiananmen Square bears witness to the indomitable revolutionary spirit and fearless heroism of the people of Beijing. Events such as the May Fourth Movement, the December 9th Movement, and the May 20th Movement have all left a profound mark on the history of China’s modern revolution here. After the founding of New China, Tiananmen Square was widened, and the Monument to the People's Heroes was erected in the center of the square. Later, the Great Hall of the People was built on the west side of the square, the National Museum of China and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution on the east side, and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao on the south side.

　　   The Tiananmen Gate Tower is situated at the northern end of the square. Tiananmen was built in the 15th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1417), originally named Chengtianmen. It was renamed Tiananmen after being reconstructed in the 8th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1651). The gate has five passageways, with a nine-bay tower reaching a total height of 33.7 meters. On a finely carved white marble Sumeru pedestal spanning over 2,000 square meters sits a red-and-white terrace over 10 meters high, atop which stands the resplendent Tiananmen Gate Tower. Below the tower flows the sparkling Jinshui River, across which five exquisitely sculpted white marble Jinshui Bridges span. Two pairs of majestic stone lions and slender ornamental columns gracefully frame the gate, making Tiananmen a masterpiece of architectural art.

　　   On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China from atop the Tiananmen Gate Tower and personally raised the first five-starred red flag. Since then, the Tiananmen Gate Tower has become a symbol of New China, and its solemn and dignified image forms an important part of China’s national emblem.