Main Buildings around Tian'anmen Square

1. The National Museum

The National Museum was formerly called the Museum of Chinese History ad the Museum of the Chinese Revolution. It is located o the east side of Tian'anmen Square and it is also one of ten major projects built in 1959. The southern part is the Museum of Chinese History, and on the north is the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.

The Museum of Chinese History shows the Chinese history from 1.7 million years ago to the end of the Qing dynasty. The historical exhibition is divided into three parts:

The Primitive Society (1.7 million years ago to 21st century BC)

The Slave Society (21st century BC to 476 BC)

The Feudal Society (475 BC to 1840 AD)

 

2. The Monument to the People's Heroes

The Monument to the People's Heroes is in the center of Tian'anmen Square. It was in 1958. This monument is built in order to commemorate the people's heroes who laid down their lives in the course of the Chinese revolution and the Chinese liberation.

The monument is 38 meters high with "Eternal Glory to the People's Heroes!" carved on the front side. The inscription is written by late  Mao Zedong. On the back of the monument, there is a article written by Mao Zedong, but is in Premier Zhou Enlai's handwriting.

There are ten big pieces of white marble relieves carved at the bottom layer of the monument showing the Chinese historic events since 1840:

* The Burning of Opinum in 1840;

*The Jintian Uprising in Guangxi of 1851;

*The Wuchang Uprising i Hubei of 1911;

*The May 4th Movement of 1919;

*The May 30th Movement of 1925;

*The Nanchang Uprising in Jiangxi of 927 (August 1st Uprising)

* The Anti-Japanese War from 1937 to 1945;

*Successful Crossing of the Yangtze River by the People's Liberation Army in 1949 with two smaller ones flanked on both sides of this relief;

*Supply the Front;

*Greeting the P.LA.

 

3. Mao's Mausoleum

Mao Zedong passed away in Beijing on September 9th 1976, at the age of 83. The Mausoleum was built in 1977 and it was offiically opened to the public on September 9th 1977, just one year after his death. There are three main halls inside the mausoleum:

* The North Hall : The white marble statue of Mao is placed on the platform in the center of the Hall.

* The Center Hall: The Central Hall is called the Hall for Paying Respects to the Remains of Mao. In the center of the hall, there is a crystal coffin in which Mao's body lies stately with the red flag of the Chinese Communist Party covering over him.

* The South Hall: In the South Hall there is a poem in gold inlay inscribed on the wall. The poem entitled Majianghong is in Chairman Mao's handwriting.

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Orignal From: Main Buildings around Tian'anmen Square