Nanjing (Nanking) City Tour Package
Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s Mausoleum
Covering an area of 80,000 square meters (about 20
acres), Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum is located in the Zhong Mountain
Scenic Area in the east suburb of Nanjing
City, Jiangsu Province. As the mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the
father of the Republic of China, it is considered the Holy land of
Chinese people both home and abroad. With deep historical
significance, magnificent architecture and beautiful scenery, it is
a must see when traveling in Nanjing.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) was the great forerunner of
the Chinese democratic revolution and led by Dr. Sun the Chinese
people brought down the corrupt rule of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)
and ended 2000 years of the feudal monarchy system, which led the
Chinese people into a new age.
The majestic mausoleum's construction was started in
1926 and completed in 1929. The whole Mausoleum Scenic Area
represents an alarm bell as seen from the air, symbolizing the noble
spirit and heroic efforts of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's devotion to the
Chinese people, fight of oppression and wining the independence of
China. Facing south, the structures, along with the mountain,
ascends gradually along with the central axis line running from
south to the north and is regarded as the most outstanding mausoleum
in Chinese modern architectural history.
The mausoleum looks solemn. Traveling along the marble
road, firstly you will arrive at half-moon square in the south of
the Mausoleum. It is understated and modest, while endowing grandeur
to the Mausoleum. Then at the entrance to the mausoleum stands the
great marble Paifang (memorial archway) on which is written 'Bo Ai'
meaning 'love'. Through Paifang there is a Passway of 480 meters
(about 1574 feet) long and 40 meters (about 131 feet) wide, on both
sides of which stand orderly pine and cypresses trees. Continuing
forward to the end of the Passway, there is the Frontispiece,
standing some 16.5 meters (about 54 feet) high and 27 meters (about
88 feet) wide. The Frontispiece has three archways, each of which
has a pair of symmetrical enchased copper gates. Four Chinese
characters are inscribed on the lintel over the doorways written by
Dr. Sun Yat-sen meaning 'the world is commonwealth', which fully
explains the cause he struggled for during his life. Through the
Frontispiece is a pavilion made of marble, in which a great stele, 9
meters (about 29 feet) high and 4 meters (about 13 feet) wide, was
erected by Kuomintang in memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. On the stele
there are carved just 24 Chinese characters and no epitaph as people
think that there are no words capable of representing this giant of
modern China.
Through the Pavilion, climbing along the stairs upward,
the Sacrificial Hall is your next encounter. Here is the highest
place of the Mausoleum, some 158 meters (about 518 feet) high. The
Sacrificial Hall is located in the center of this plateau. It is an
Alhambresque construction combining the architectures of both China
and the West and is 30 meters (about 98 feet) long, 25 meters (about
82 feet) wide and 29 meters (about 95 feet) high. Around the
Sacrificial Hall, there are two 12.6-meter-high (about 41 feet)
Huabiao, ornamental columns like those in Tiananmen Square. Entering
the Hall, a 4.6-meter-high stone statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen sits in
the center. Dr. Sun Yat-sen wears long gown with eyes facing
forward, with an open book on his lap, demonstrating the wisdom of
the great thinker. At the foot of the statue, there are six
embossments exhibiting in vivid pictures Dr. Sun Yat-sen's glorious
life and struggles in his revolution of China. The door of the tomb
is in the center of the back wall. The whole tomb is a hemispherical
in shape, with the marble coffin of Dr. Sun Yat-sen set in the
center of the chamber. His white marble statue rests atop the
rectangle coffin, under which this historical giant forever sleeps.
Around the Mausoleum there are many memorial buildings
such as the Zhengqi Pavilion, Open-air Music Hall, Waxwork Home of
Democratic Revolution, the Sun Yat-sen Museum and so on.
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