Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

　　The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall is located on Tiananmen Square, south of the Monument to the People's Heroes. It stands on the former site of Zhonghua Gate. Its foundation stone was laid in 1976, and it was completed in May 1977. Covering an area of over 57,000 square meters, it has a total floor space of 28,000 square meters. The main structure is square-shaped, featuring 44 bright pillars made of yellow Fujian granite on the exterior, adorned with decorative ceramic panels from Guangzhou Shiwan between the pillars, and clad entirely in Qingdao granite. The roof features two tiers of glass upturned eaves, with sunflower bas-reliefs inlaid between them. The base consists of two-tiered platforms, with the platform edges constructed entirely from jujube-red granite sourced near the Dadu River in Sichuan, surrounded by white marble railings carved with evergreen designs from Fangshan. The central steps at both the south and north gates are flanked by two white marble vertical bands, engraved with patterns of sunflowers, evergreens, wintersweet, and pine trees.

　　　　The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall measures 280 meters from north to south and 220 meters from east to west, covering an area of 57,200 square meters, with a construction area of 28,000 square meters.

　　　　(1) Courtyard

　　　　In front of the north gate of the main building, there are two groups of clay sculptures on the east and west sides, depicting the epic of the Chinese revolution. The eastern group portrays the period of New Democracy, while the western group represents the era of socialist construction. In front of the south gate of the main building, there are two other groups of clay sculptures symbolizing the inheritance of Chairman Mao’s will and the great confidence of people of all ethnicities. The four groups of sculptures feature a total of 62 figures (each 3–5 meters tall), created by over 100 sculptors from 18 provinces and cities across China. More than 200 tons of clay were used, and the project took five months to complete. The 30 red flags outside the south gate represent China’s 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.

　　　　(2) Memorial Hall

　　　　The memorial hall is the main structure, consisting of three parts. Base: It is 4 meters high with sides 105.5 meters long. The base has 44 large square pillars, each 1.5 meters wide and 17.5 meters tall. The perimeter of the base is built with jujube-red granite from the Dadu River. The white marble railings are carved with evergreen motifs symbolizing eternal sovereignty. The foundation stone laid during the groundbreaking ceremony on November 24, 1976, is situated beneath this base. Embedded around the foundation stone are rocks from Mount Everest and water from the Taiwan Strait. Entering through the north main gate, also known as the North Hall, you’ll find a space that is 34.6 meters wide, 19.3 meters deep, and 8.5 meters high. Inside are four large square pillars, each one meter in width, with 110 sunflower-shaped lights on the ceiling and floors paved with Hangzhou’s renowned gray marble. At the center stands a 3-meter-tall statue of Chairman Mao, behind which hangs a massive landscape painting, 7 meters high and 24 meters long, depicting rivers and mountains. This hall is used for commemorative events. Passing through the golden nanmu wood door on the southern side of the North Hall leads to the Hall of Remembrance. The crystal coffin is positioned 80 centimeters above the ground, surrounded by colorful mountain flowers, and rests on a stepped black granite coffin base inlaid with the Party emblem, national emblem, military emblem, as well as Chairman Mao’s birth and death years. The Hall of Remembrance is enclosed by glass railings and surrounded by clivia plants. To the south of the Hall of Remembrance lies the South Hall, where the white marble walls are inscribed with Chairman Mao’s poem “Man Jiang Hong.” The east and west sides of the three halls house resting areas and memorial rooms dedicated to veteran revolutionaries. The entire project was completed in just six months. The main structure was finished on May 24, 1977, with full completion by the end of August, and the hall officially opened on September 9.

　　　　Main Halls Open to the Public

　　　　① North Hall. At the center is a 3.45-meter-tall white marble statue of Mao Zedong. The backdrop is a tapestry titled “The Motherland,” measuring 23.74 meters wide and 6.6 meters high. The four square pillars in the hall are made of creamy red marble from Wuxi, Jiangsu, with their tops adorned with white marble from Tianshan. The floor is paved with gray marble from Hangzhou. The ceiling is fitted with 110 glass sunflower lamps.

　　　　② Hall of Remembrance. At the center lies the crystal coffin containing Chairman Mao’s remains. He is dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit and covered with the flag of the Communist Party of China. The base of the crystal coffin is made of black granite from Mount Tai, inlaid around the edges with gold-plated emblems of the Party, nation, and military, along with Chairman Mao’s birth and death years. The coffin is surrounded by clivia flowers and glass railings. On the white marble wall at the front of the hall are 17 gilded clerical-script characters reading “The Great Leader and Teacher Chairman Mao Will Live Forever.”

　　　　③ Revolutionary Achievements Memorial Rooms of Comrades Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun. Through a vast collection of cultural relics, documents, photographs, and letters, these rooms showcase the great achievements of the six leaders in founding the Communist Party of China, building the People’s Liberation Army, establishing the People’s Republic of China, and leading socialist construction. According to statistics, the six memorial rooms collectively display 102 cultural relics, 490 photographs, and 224 documents. Advanced materials and production techniques have been employed in the exhibits. Each room is equipped with a plasma ultra-thin TV and an electronic information touchscreen, allowing visitors to watch documentaries about the leaders’ legacies and browse quotes reflecting their thoughts and demeanor.

　　　　④ Film Hall. On the second floor, you can watch the documentary “In Memory.” This 20-minute film uses a condensed format and vivid imagery to highlight the monumental contributions made by the group of revolutionary leaders — Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun — to China’s liberation and socialist development, and recreates touching scenes of their interactions with the people.

　　　　⑤ South Hall. This is the exit hall. Its marble walls feature an inscription of Chairman Mao’s poem “Man Jiang Hong – In Reply to Guo Moruo,” written in silver-clad gold calligraphy. Below the inscription are ten five-needle pine trees displayed in pots made from unique green marble from Yunnan. The natural grain of the marble has been polished to depict scenes such as Shaoshan, Jinggangshan, the Jinsha River, the Dadu River, snow-capped mountains, grasslands, Yan’an, and the Great Wall.

　　　　The surrounding area of the memorial hall is a green belt mainly planted with lush pines and cypresses. Tree species include Beijing oil pines, Qingdao cedars, junipers, and white pines; there are also 36 hawthorn trees from Fangshan and 13 green pines from Yan’an. On the east and west sides of both the north and south gates, there are two sets of group sculptures, each 15 meters long and 3.5 meters high.

　　　　The Revolutionary Achievements Memorial Rooms of comrades Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping were added in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, with approval from the central government. Meanwhile, the content and presentation of the existing memorial rooms for Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun (completed in 1983) were adjusted and expanded. These enhancements have made the memorial hall an important site for commemorating the revolutionary achievements of the older generation of proletarian revolutionaries, represented by Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun, as well as a key base for educating the public, especially youth, in revolutionary tradition, patriotism, and socialism.

　　　　The project to add memorial rooms and adjust the exhibition content at the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall began in July 1999. The newly added and adjusted exhibits in the six memorial rooms were officially opened to the public on July 1, 2001. The memorial hall also serves as an artistic venue showcasing works by contemporary Chinese masters, housing a collection of over 2,000 calligraphy and painting pieces.

　　　　Visiting Information

　　　　Address: Southern end of Tiananmen Square, downtown (Dongcheng District), Beijing

　　　　Opening hours for visiting: Tuesday to Sunday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

　　　　The Revolutionary Achievements Memorial Rooms of six great leaders including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai are open free of charge to group visitors only from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM every Tuesday to Sunday.

　　　　September 9 (the anniversary of Chairman Mao’s passing) and December 26 (the anniversary of Chairman Mao’s birth)

　　　　Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

　　　　In case of special circumstances, the hall may be closed. (Please refer to notices posted around the memorial hall.)

　　　　Transportation: Take bus routes 1, 2, 4, 17, 20, 37, 52, 57, or 802 to Tiananmen, or take the subway to Tiananmen or Qianmen stations.

　　　　Visiting Guidelines

　　　　Please observe the following guidelines during your visit:

　　　　1. Entry is free but requires a valid ID and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

　　　　2. All visitors must undergo security checks. The carrying of firearms, ammunition, controlled knives, flammable or explosive materials, and other hazardous items is strictly prohibited.

　　　　3. Please dress neatly and appropriately, and remove your hat when paying respects. Visitors wearing tank tops or slippers are not allowed inside.

　　　　4. Bringing handbags, backpacks, cameras, video cameras, water bottles, beverages, or similar items is strictly prohibited. Those carrying such items must check them at the baggage storage area first.

　　　　5. Please keep quiet. Turn off your mobile phone or switch it to silent mode, and avoid loud talking, laughing, or making a commotion.

　　　　6. Please help maintain a clean environment. Smoking, spitting, chewing gum on the ground, littering cigarette butts, fruit peels, paper scraps, or other waste, as well as climbing over railings, stepping on flower beds, or lawns, are all strictly prohibited.

　　　　7. Observe public morals, be considerate of others, and take the initiative to assist the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities.

　　　　8. Take good care of your personal belongings. Do not entrust your items to strangers.

　　Mao Zedong (1893–1976)　　Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), courtesy name Runzhi (originally Yongzhi, later changed to Runzhi), pen name Ziren, was a native of Xiangtan, Hunan. He was the leader of the Chinese people, a Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, strategist, and theorist, as well as the principal founder and leader of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and the People's Republic of China. He was also a poet and calligrapher.  From 1949 to 1976, Mao Zedong served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China. His contributions to the development of Marxism-Leninism, military theory, and the theoretical foundations of the Communist Party are collectively known as Mao Zedong Thought. Because Mao...  More+

The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall isAAAAa

Chairman Mao Memorial Hall