Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
Encyclopedia
Dr. Sun Yat-sen
's Mausoleum (中山陵) is situated at the foot of the second peak of Mount Zijin (Purple Mountain) in Nanjing
, China
. Construction of the tomb started in January 1926 and was finished in spring of 1929. The architect was Lu Yanzhi, who died shortly after it was finished.
province of China on November 12, 1866, and died in 1925 in Beijing
, China
. On April 23, 1929, the Chinese government appointed He Yingqin
to be in charge of laying Dr. Sun to rest. On May 26, the coffin departed from Beijing
, and on May 28, it arrived in Nanjing
. On June 1, 1929, Dr. Sun was buried there. Sun, considered to be the "Father of Modern China" both in mainland China
and in Taiwan
, fought against the imperial Qing
government and after the 1911 revolution
ended the monarchy and founded the Republic of China
.
The design would have to adhere to guidelines. It had to be done according to an ancient Chinese style, it had to have special and memorial substance, and it had to evoke the Chinese architectural spirit and add creativity. Designers were asked to keep the proposed construction costs within 300,000 yuan. Over 40 proposals were received.
On September 20, 1925, the committee convened in Shanghai and unanimously selected Lu Yanzhi's proposal.
Reclining on a mountain
slope, the majestic mausoleum blends the styles of traditional imperial tombs and modern architecture
. Lying at the mountainside, the vault is more than 700 hundred meters away from the paifang
on the square below, which is the entrance of the mausoleum. There is a three-tier stone stand on which a huge bronze ding
, an ancient Chinese vessel symbolizing power, perches. To the north of the square, the paifang towers high. Beyond is the 480-meter-long and 50-meter-wide stairway which has 392 stairs leading to the vault. On both sides, pine, cypress, and ginkgo trees guard the way. At the end of the stairway is a gate which is 16 meters high and 27 meters wide. The tri-arched marble gate is inscribed with four Chinese characters written by Dr. Sun, "Tian Xia Wei Gong" which means "What is under heaven is for all". Inside the gate, there is a pavilion in which a 9-meter-high stele is set, which is a memorial monument set by the Kuomintang
(KMT). A few stairs up is the sacrificial hall and the vault.
In front of the sacrificial hall there stands a pair of huabiao
, ancient Chinese ornamental columns, which are 12.6 meters high. The sacrificial hall is actually a palace of 30 meters in length, 25 meters in width and 29 meters in height. In the center of the hall a 4.6-meter-high statue of Dr. Sun sits. The statue was sculptured out of Italian white marble. The hall's ceiling features the flag of the Kuomintang
. Biographical information on Dr. Sun is available to visitors in the hall. North of the hall lies the bell-shaped vault, wherein lies the sarcophagus of Dr. Sun.
Architectural influence of the Mausoleum's design is evident in Taiwan's Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
.
(KMT) Chairman Lien Chan
, his wife, and other KMT members visited the Mausoleum. It was the first visit of KMT members to the site since 1949.
On 15 November 2006 another visit was made to the Mausoleum by Dr. Sun's granddaughter, Sun Huiying, who was by then over eighty years old.
In May 2008, Wu Po-hsiung became the first ruling Kuomintang
chairman to visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum since 1949. There were concerns that the 392 steps leading to the tomb would be too taxing given Wu's leg injuries.
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
's Mausoleum (中山陵) is situated at the foot of the second peak of Mount Zijin (Purple Mountain) in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Construction of the tomb started in January 1926 and was finished in spring of 1929. The architect was Lu Yanzhi, who died shortly after it was finished.
History
Dr. Sun was born in GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province of China on November 12, 1866, and died in 1925 in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. On April 23, 1929, the Chinese government appointed He Yingqin
He Yingqin
He Yingqin , also spelled Ho Ying-chin, was one of the most senior generals of the Kuomintang during Republican China, and a close ally of Chiang Kai-shek.-Early years:A native of Guizhou, He was healthy and bookish in his childhood...
to be in charge of laying Dr. Sun to rest. On May 26, the coffin departed from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and on May 28, it arrived in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
. On June 1, 1929, Dr. Sun was buried there. Sun, considered to be the "Father of Modern China" both in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
and in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, fought against the imperial Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
government and after the 1911 revolution
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
ended the monarchy and founded the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
Selection of the design
A committee decided to host a design competition for the plans for the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. The committee published advertisements in newspapers on May 5, 1925, inviting architects and designers within China and abroad to send plans. In exchange for a ten yuan charge, the committee would provide the designer with twelve pictures of the site.The design would have to adhere to guidelines. It had to be done according to an ancient Chinese style, it had to have special and memorial substance, and it had to evoke the Chinese architectural spirit and add creativity. Designers were asked to keep the proposed construction costs within 300,000 yuan. Over 40 proposals were received.
On September 20, 1925, the committee convened in Shanghai and unanimously selected Lu Yanzhi's proposal.
Architecture
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
slope, the majestic mausoleum blends the styles of traditional imperial tombs and modern architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. Lying at the mountainside, the vault is more than 700 hundred meters away from the paifang
Paifang
Paifang, also called pailou, is a traditional Chinese architectural gating style as an archway.The word paifang originally was a collective term used to describe the top two levels of administrative division and subdivisions of ancient Chinese city. The largest division within a city in ancient...
on the square below, which is the entrance of the mausoleum. There is a three-tier stone stand on which a huge bronze ding
Ding (vessel)
A ding is an ancient Chinese cauldron with legs, a lid and two handles opposite each other. They were made in two shapes with round vessels having three legs and rectangular ones four....
, an ancient Chinese vessel symbolizing power, perches. To the north of the square, the paifang towers high. Beyond is the 480-meter-long and 50-meter-wide stairway which has 392 stairs leading to the vault. On both sides, pine, cypress, and ginkgo trees guard the way. At the end of the stairway is a gate which is 16 meters high and 27 meters wide. The tri-arched marble gate is inscribed with four Chinese characters written by Dr. Sun, "Tian Xia Wei Gong" which means "What is under heaven is for all". Inside the gate, there is a pavilion in which a 9-meter-high stele is set, which is a memorial monument set by the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT). A few stairs up is the sacrificial hall and the vault.
In front of the sacrificial hall there stands a pair of huabiao
Huabiao
Huabiao is a type of ceremonial columns used in traditional Chinese architecture. Huabiaos are traditionally erected in front of palaces and tombs. The prominence of their placement have made them one of the emblems of traditional Chinese culture. When placed outside palaces, they can also be...
, ancient Chinese ornamental columns, which are 12.6 meters high. The sacrificial hall is actually a palace of 30 meters in length, 25 meters in width and 29 meters in height. In the center of the hall a 4.6-meter-high statue of Dr. Sun sits. The statue was sculptured out of Italian white marble. The hall's ceiling features the flag of the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
. Biographical information on Dr. Sun is available to visitors in the hall. North of the hall lies the bell-shaped vault, wherein lies the sarcophagus of Dr. Sun.
Architectural influence of the Mausoleum's design is evident in Taiwan's Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument, landmark and tourist attractions erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China. It is located in Taipei, Republic of China ....
.
Recent events
On 27 April 2005: then-KuomintangKuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT) Chairman Lien Chan
Lien Chan
Lien Chan is a politician in Taiwan. He was Premier of the Republic of China from 1993 to 1997, Vice President of the Republic of China from 1996 to 2000, and was the Chairman of the Kuomintang from 2000 to 2005...
, his wife, and other KMT members visited the Mausoleum. It was the first visit of KMT members to the site since 1949.
On 15 November 2006 another visit was made to the Mausoleum by Dr. Sun's granddaughter, Sun Huiying, who was by then over eighty years old.
In May 2008, Wu Po-hsiung became the first ruling Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
chairman to visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum since 1949. There were concerns that the 392 steps leading to the tomb would be too taxing given Wu's leg injuries.
See also
- National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
- Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial HallSun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial HallNot to be confused with Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall . The Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is a double-storey colonial villa at Balestier in Singapore...
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial HallSun Yat-sen Memorial HallThe National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is located in Taipei, Republic of China . It is a memorial to the Republic of China's National Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and was completed on 1972. The total building area covers in an open space of...
- Sun Yat Sen Memorial HouseSun Yat Sen Memorial HouseSun Yat Sen Memorial House or Memorial House of Dr. Sun Yat Sen is located in Macau where former family members and relatives of Sun Yat-sen, the 'Father of Modern China' of Taiwan and China used to live. The House bears witness to his short but significant stay in Macau in the early 20th century...
External links
- Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum National Park