Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

Background

The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum lies in the Zhongshan Scenic Area on the southern slope of Purple Mountain (Zijinshan) in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. From south to north its central axis runs through the archway, the tomb passage, the mausoleum gate, the stele pavilion, the memorial hall and the burial chamber, covering a horizontal distance of about 700 metres and a rise of about 70 metres, with 392 stone steps and 10 terraces. The whole plan is shaped like an alarm bell: the burial chamber is the bell knob, and the plaza and archway in front of the mausoleum gate form the clapper. The memorial hall is about 30 metres long, 25 metres wide and 29 metres high, and inside stands a 4.6-metre seated statue of Sun Yat-sen in white marble. The mausoleum gate bears Sun's own calligraphy of the motto “天下为公” (“The world belongs to all”); a pair of 12.6-metre ornamental columns (huabiao) stands in front of the memorial hall, and a large bronze tripod rests on a three-tiered stone stand in the plaza. Pines, cypresses and ginkgo trees line the way. Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925) led the Xinhai Revolution, overthrew the imperial system and founded the Republic of China, and is honoured as a forerunner of China's modern democratic revolution. The mausoleum was designed by the architect Lü Yanzhi; construction began in January 1926 and was completed in spring 1929. Lü died shortly after it was finished, and the work was completed by his close friend Huang Tanfu and others. Blending the conventions of traditional imperial tombs with modern architectural techniques, it is called “the first mausoleum in the history of modern Chinese architecture”.

Local customs

• Climb the 392 stone steps past the archway, the mausoleum gate, the stele pavilion and the memorial hall, pay your respects to the seated statue and see the biographical exhibition inside the hall, then look back over Nanjing from the top
• subsidiary sights within the mausoleum area, such as the Music Stage and the Liuhui Pavilion, can be visited along the way.

Travel tips

• The visit is mostly a climb, so wear comfortable walking shoes
• elderly visitors and children should go at their own pace and can rest on the terraces along the way. In summer protect yourself from the sun and drink water
• in rain the stone steps are slippery, so hold on and walk slowly. Ticket prices and opening hours follow the official notices. The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, also on the southern slope of Purple Mountain, can be combined in the same trip.
• Nanjing's metro and buses reach the Zhongshan Scenic Area, from where you walk or transfer to scenic-area transport into the mausoleum grounds
• routes and schedules follow the official notices. You can visit all year
• spring and autumn, with their mild weather, are best for the climb, summers are hot and rainy, and in winter the wind on the steps is cold, so keep warm and shelter from the wind.