China has a rich history filled with great wars, struggles, dynasty changes and revolutions. Throughout the country you can find monuments, statues, memorial sites and many other structures that pay tribute to the struggles of the past. The Monument to the People’s Heroes is one such structure. A national monument of this country, the attraction is shaped like an obelisk and stands 10 stories high. Located in Beijing, this monument was constructed to commemorate the countless martyrs of the revolutionary struggle that took place in China between the 19th & 20th century.
Designed by Liang Sicheng with help from his wife Lin Huiyin, the completion of this piece took 6 long years. While being a part of the history, once completed the site served as a landmark for many mourning activities such as death of Hu Yaobang and Zhou Enlai. The making of the monument is truly impressive as it is almost 38 metres tall, stretching across 3,000 square metres, and weighs in excess of 10,000 metric tons. The composition includes granite & marble.
The base of the tablet has carvings that depict the 8 major revolutionary chapters. By starting from the east and moving clockwise you can follow them in chronological order. From the destruction of Opium in 1839 that started the First Opium War to the War of Resistance against Japan and lastly the crossing of Yangtze River in the Chinese Revolutionary War, each episode is beautifully and artfully captured here. The front of the monument has an inscription in the legendary leader Mao Zedong’s handwriting proclaiming ‘eternal glory to the people’s heroes’. The back also has a message that was drafted by Mao Zedong but drafted by Zhou Enlai.
Strict rules apply with regard to this structure and those who want to leave wreaths must obtain permission 5 days in advance. Photography and filming is also not allowed. The country has many such sites that you must visit. Commuting to them is easy from the conveniently located hotels in China. A chain that has many such places is the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels China. It has many of the most acclaimed Greater China hotels.
Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Free Spirit. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.
