Mt. Shaoshan Scenic Area-----the Hometown of Chairman Mao

Mt. Shaoshan is about forty kilometers west of the county town of Xiangtan, Hunan Province. It is well-known as the hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong where he was born and undertook the revolutionary activities in his youth. Due to the advantaged natural environment and the history, it has become a well-known scenic area, also regarded as a sacred place to commemorate the Chinese revolution. There are four main scenic areas here: Mao Zedong’s Former Residence, Water Dripping Cave, Shaoshan Peak and Limpid Stream. 

Mao Zedong’s Former Residence

A village called Shaoshanchong at the foot of the mountain was where Mao Zedong (1893-1976), the late leader of China was born and grew up. An exhibition hall memorializing Mao‘s life and revolutionary activities has been built at the town of Shaoshan, formerly Shaoshanchong Village, and is now open to visitors who can stay at the local hotel.

Mao Zedong’s Bronze Statue Square, built in 2008, covers an area of 102,800 sq m (about 122,948 sq yd). It is divided into a homage paying area, a commemorating area, an assembly area, and a leisure area. The statue is 3.7 tons (3,700 kg) in weight, and 6 m (about 19.7 ft) in height. The statue's entire height including the bronze base is 10.1 m (about 33 ft), which symbolizes October 1st, the date the PRC was founded. The statue vividly presents Mao's gentle demeanor with shining view and light smiles.

Water Dripping Cave

Water Dripping Cave is Chairman Mao’s villa which is 3 km (around 2 mi) away from his former residence. It consists of Water Dripping Valley, Tiger Resting Lawn (Huxie Lawn), Dragon Head Hill, No.1 Building, and other scenic spots.

The cave is 2.8 km (about 1.5 mi) long with a stream flowing through it. Many trees and flowers grow here. Visitors can find over 30 species of trees including gingko, privet, and the rare cycas a genus of the Cycadaceae family, as well as over 100 species of flowers such as azalea, rose, and chrysanthemum.

Shaoshan Peak

The peak is also called Fairy Peak or Fairy and Elegant Peak. The main attractions include the Steles Forest of Mao Zedong’s Poems, the Temple of Shaoshan Peak, and the rope way.

The Steles Forest of Mao Zedong’s Poems is 3 km (about 1.9 mi) away from his former residence. It covers 20,000 sq m (about 23,920 sq yd), and consists of 100 pieces of white marble and granite on which 50 poems by Chairman Mao have been carved. The different shaped steles present a beautiful landscape together with the scenery of Shaoshan Peak. The whole scenic area is divided into five parts according to Mao’s revolutionary career and four parts by chronological order. At the exit from the forest stands a giant poem stele which is 12.26 m (about 40 ft) in width, 8.3 m (about 27 ft) in height and 0.99 m (about 3.2 ft) in thickness. The width of 12.26 represents Mao’s birthday on December 26, and the thickness of 0.99 represents the date of Mao’s death on September 9.

Limpid Stream Scenic Area

At Qingxi Town of Shaoshan City, there is a boulevard named Hero Road, at the north end of which is the Square of Young Mao Zedong’s Statue and at the south end is Swan Hill, on which the Martyrs Cemetery lies.

Located on the hill which is around 200 m (219 yd) from the local railway station, the 12.26 m (about 40 ft) Statue of Young Mao Zedong was made to symbolize his birthday of December 26th. The statue vividly embodies Mao’s ambitious verve in his youth. The Martyrs Cemetery is built to commemorate the martyrs of Shaoshan, but there are no actual martyrs buried there. Homage is paid to them by the building of pavilions, museums or statuaries.

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