Preface
"Chairman Mao sat on the sofa with one leg crossed. It was too casual. People came to the memorial hall to pay homage to him, but he sat with his legs crossed, which was a bit immodest."
This is the design of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall after the completion of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. Chairman Mao's "legs crossed" design was the first to be rejected due to the discussion sparked by the sitting white marble statue of Chairman Mao.
So why was the seated white marble statue of Chairman Mao with his legs crossed chosen for the current white marble statue in Chairman Mao Memorial Hall? This is thanks to the famous sculptor Ye Yushan at that time.
Picture | The white marble seated statue in Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
After Chairman Mao passed away, Hua Guofeng advocated the establishment of a memorial hall
On September 9, 1976, the great leader Chairman Mao passed away in Beijing. This changed China's destiny and made China shock the entire world. A generation of leaders has left this world forever.
After Chairman Mao passed away, his funeral became a top priority. Where to cremate his body and how to deal with his ashes are top priorities.
Hua Guofeng urgently convened a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to give priority to solving the problem of Chairman Mao's body. According to Chairman Mao's request during his lifetime, he agreed to cremate his body. He told the staff many times and agreed to have the ashes cremated. Spread into rivers, lakes and seas.
After Premier Zhou passed away, Chairman Mao personally directed the disposal of his ashes. Now this important task falls on Hua Guofeng.
On that day, Comrade Xu Jing, the first deputy director of the Morphology Teaching and Research Office of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, was invited to Zhongnanhai to deal with the remains issue. When discussing with Hua Guofeng, he put forward an idea: Is it possible to preserve Chairman Mao’s remains forever?
The comrades present at the time expressed different opinions. Those who advocated the protection of Chairman Mao’s body believed that as a great leader, Chairman Mao’s contribution to New China was second to none. The permanent preservation of the body is also to allow future generations to pay tribute to Chairman Mao. This is important to It is also a good thing for the common people.
In addition, Comrade Lenin of the Soviet Union and Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam realized this assumption.
The other side believes that the idea of permanently preserving Chairman Mao's body is good, but it goes against Chairman Mao's last wish during his lifetime. He longed to be close to the masses, but did not want future generations to praise him.
Since the discussion is not appropriate, we can only refer to the opinions of the masses. Hua Guofeng hopes to come up with a plan through public opinion polls within one day. The final result is that everyone hopes to permanently preserve Chairman Mao’s body.
Hua Guofeng immediately ordered three things: First, permanently preserve Chairman Mao’s body, second, make a crystal coffin, and third, build Chairman Mao’s Memorial Hall as quickly as possible.
What is commendable is that from the death of Chairman Mao in 1976 to the anniversary one year later, this magical building rose from the ground. Hua Guofeng was very moved when he saw this god-like speed.
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall is located between the People's Heroes Monument in Tiananmen Square and the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower. It is a square building with a length and width of 105.5 meters. When initially designed and built, these data were accurately calculate.
During the construction of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Hua Guofeng also asked three things. The first was who would write the plaque on the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the second was who would rust the huge mural on the wall of the North Hall, and the third The third is whether the white marble statue of Chairman Mao can be produced as scheduled.
Since the plan is within a year, or even earlier, these things must be completed as soon as possible to ensure that the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall opens as scheduled.
Among them, the plaque of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall written by Hua Guofeng himself is inlaid directly above the north and south doors of the memorial hall. In addition, there is no problem with the huge painting "The Motherland" .
This painting is 23.74 meters long, 6.61 meters high, and has a total area of 170 square meters. It is simply "the best in the world". In front of this painting, a seated statue of Chairman Mao must be placed to set off Chairman Mao's thoughts. Brilliant.
But something went wrong with the only white marble statue.
The white marble statue of Chairman Mao was planned at the beginning of the design. How could there be a problem? It turns out that as the core work of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, this statue must strive for excellence. Two problems are at hand.
The first is the mining problem, and the second is the sitting posture problem.
Sitting posture is controversial
In order to mine huge white marble, the staff placed the mining site in the mountainous area in the southwest of Fangshan County, Beijing.
On November 20, Fangshan County received the glorious task of mining white marble. Judging from historical data, Fangshan County mines 2,000 cubic meters of white marble in a year.
This data is already large, but now it is required to complete the task of 1,500 cubic meters within 4 months to be used as a backup for the white marble seated statue in Chairman Mao Memorial Hall.
This is actually very difficult. First of all, the white marble is usually 30 meters below the rock formation. In addition, the time is tight and the tasks are heavy. Just from the staff's station to the quarry, it takes 20 miles every day.
It is normal for the staff to live under the stars and sleep in the open air. In order to pump out the accumulated water underneath, the staff basically risk their lives.
Picture | Mining site
It is understood that the workers responsible for firing usually roll up their sleeves, move away the cold muddy water and gravel, and then use sledgehammers to slowly break apart dozens of tons of stone. During this process, the workers His hands endured extraordinary labor.
In more than three months, the staff successfully excavated 48,000 cubic meters of soil and dug out 4,600 cubic meters of ashlar stone. They then used heavy trucks to deliver it to Beijing city step by step. It can be said that they were extremely careful.
But at the same time, Chairman Mao's design drawings are still controversial and have not been finalized because the central government has been dissatisfied with several design drawings. feels that all the design drawings are lacking.
In order to complete this matter as soon as possible, the team responsible for the white marble carving expanded the main creative staff and invited more than a hundred sculpture workers and famous sculpture masters from all over the country.
Picture | Ye Yushan
Among them are Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Ye Yushan , Beijing Painting Academy Zhang Songhe, the famous sculptor Sun Jiabin in Shenyang, etc., and Central Academy of Fine Arts Wang Keqing. In the initial discussion of
, among nearly a hundred designs, there were various forms of Chairman Mao's portraits. The first to be killed were all the website images of .
There are many images of Chairman Mao wearing Chinese tunic and a coat. There is also a design drawing that refers to the well-known Chairman Mao's photo in Beidaihe.
Although these standing portraits express people's love and admiration for Chairman Mao, in front of the huge painting background, this kind of standing portrait is more suitable for outdoor squares rather than indoors. In other words, standing Mao The Chairman felt out of place in such an indoor space.
There are only seated statues left, but the first one to be killed among the seated statues was the "Chairman Mao with legs crossed" sitting posture proposed by Ye Yushan.
Among the many design drawings, there are those where Chairman Mao is sitting on a sofa or a wicker chair, such as the famous photo of Chairman Mao in Xibaipo , and there are also those where he is sitting on a big rock by the sea. , and the reason why Ye Yushan’s “legged” design was rejected was because everyone thought it was unsightly.
In China’s ancient understanding, anyone who crosses his legs is a sign of impoliteness to others. Moreover, Chairman Mao is the leader of a country. People go to the memorial hall to remember him. If you see a leader with his legs crossed, right? Feeling inappropriate?
Although most people agreed with this view, Ye Yushan had reservations. After many design drawings still failed to come up with the best solution, Ye Yushan discussed his ideas with Hua Guofeng and other central leaders.
Ye Yushan selected photos of Chairman Mao with his legs crossed from all the photos in Chairman Mao’s life, and found that he also crossed his legs when meeting heads of state or famous figures.
So Ye Yushan believes that although it is not good to cross one leg, Chairman Mao is our leader. From his photos, we can find that whether he is receiving foreign guests or facing the masses, he will cross one leg, relaxed and natural, and Luo Luo He is generous, very kind and friendly, and has a sense of humor without any intention of putting on airs.
Moreover, this statue is placed indoors. When people go to pay homage to him, it is like coming to Chairman Mao’s home. It is natural for Chairman Mao to cross his legs in front of guests, so that we can feel that Chairman Mao is right in front of us. , with the same intimacy as our speech.
Finally, Ye Yushan sent these photos and design drawings to the central leadership of Hua Guofeng , hoping to re-select them.
In this way, Ye Yushan's "legs crossed" plan was brought out again. Hua Guofeng also thought that Ye Yushan's "legs crossed" felt more cordial, thus showing Chairman Mao's true face to everyone.
After several rounds of selection, coupled with the approval of leaders such as Hua Guofeng,
finally selected Ye Yushan’s “legs-up” plan, and immediately handed over the design to the creator to start carving.
Brilliant and everlasting
Before the design, Hua Guofeng gave important instructions to complete it in one go and avoid secondary processing. The sculpture staff kept Chairman Mao's glorious image in mind to portray Chairman Mao's lofty qualities and great banner.
They repeatedly deliberated, and after two people's hard work, they finally made a plaster model, and then began to carve the white marble. A few months later, this great work was finally released.
In August 1977, the white marble statue of Chairman Mao was finally completed. On the 10th, the white marble statue of Chairman Mao was placed in the north hall of the Memorial Hall. As soon as it was placed, the staff suddenly burst into tears. Because the sitting statue of Chairman Mao was placed In front of the huge embroidery work, he looks just like a real person, kind and kind.
Some people said: "This huge white marble statue, no matter which direction you look at it, looks like Chairman Mao is talking to us. He seems to be sitting there, listening to the reports of future generations, and watching the children of the motherland." They grew up."
This has to be said about the huge embroidery "The Motherland" behind the seated statue of Chairman Mao.
The land of the motherland is about to dawn in the east. The morning light is dewy and the smoke is curling. The mountains are rolling nearby and the springs are flowing. The two rivers running through it turn back and forth thousands of times and return to the sea in the east. At the end of the arc-shaped horizon in the distance, the snow-capped mountains and sea surface, Vaguely discernible. The whole picture, with its vigorous and bright artistic style, makes people excited and broad-minded.
Staring at this hugely appealing work of embroidered velvet embroidery, anyone who walks into the north hall of the html Memorial Hall will want to know about the creation and embroidery process of this work.
This work is the result of collective wisdom. The creative team of the work includes the famous painter Huang Yongyu, teacher Yuan Yunfu of the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts, teacher Liu Bingjiang of the Central College for Nationalities, art worker Li Chuanzhan of the Beijing Arts and Crafts Service Department and the art work of the People's Literature Publishing House. Comrades such as Qin Long.
Zhao Zhijing, then deputy commander-in-chief of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall Project Construction Headquarters, said: The original plan for the background pattern of the lobby of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall was to hang a red sun pattern behind the seated statue of Chairman Mao. The east is red and the sun is rising. At that time, people generally believed that this was natural and beyond reproach.
Later, the comrades of the art group of the Memorial Hall project expressed different opinions, believing that the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall project was a commemorative building.
The red sun is a symbol of a certain period. It is recommended to use a pattern of "Motherland" as the background of Chairman Mao's seated portrait. The mountains and rivers in the pattern are not specific, they are symbolic natural environments, and their connotations can be endlessly recalled.
Due to the texture characteristics of the velvet embroidery material, the white statue is made more radiant and bright in contrast. Make it the central theme of the hall. The decorative design of monumental buildings must withstand the scrutiny of history.
One of the staff members was a velvet embroidery factory in Shandong. In April 1977, they received the task from the central government and started embroidery within an urgent time.
Information shows that because the painting was too large, it required a large support during production. At that time, the entire painting needed to be connected together with 27 steel wire cloths, and then the connecting seams were connected, so that it was integrated.
After a series of precise processing, 43 female workers were selected in the factory, lined up, and then each was responsible for their own area, flying needle and wiring, starting early in the morning every day and working until late at night, working 20 hours a day.
43 individuals worked together to complete the task brilliantly within a limited time. 43 female workers, 43 red hearts, 43 pairs of skillful hands, more than 500 kilograms of wool, and 6 million stitches took more than two months to complete. The seated portrait of Chairman Mao is embroidered in the background.
In May 1977, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall was officially completed. If we count from the groundbreaking on November 24, 1976, it only took 6 months. This speed is amazing.
On the first anniversary of Chairman Mao’s death, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall was officially opened. When visitors to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall saw Chairman Mao’s body, the first thing they saw was the white marble statue of Chairman Mao. They were all attracted by this. The expression was deeply moved.
Special Visitors
Since the opening of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall to the public, there has been an endless stream of people visiting the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall every year. When the number of people was the largest, 9,000 people were received in an hour. According to information from
, the original rules for paying homage were that the time spent in the paying homage hall should not exceed 30 seconds. The line of paying homage stretched for two kilometers and took more than an hour to reach the North Hall.
Among this long crowd, there are also some special tourists.
ranked first, Li Min and Li Ne.
Li Min is Chairman Mao’s eldest daughter. Her mother is He Zizhen. She lived in the Soviet Union since she was a child. Before the founding of New China, Li Min returned to the arms of her father, Chairman Mao. Chairman Mao loved this daughter very much.
When Li Min was studying and living next to his father, Chairman Mao repeatedly warned Li Min not to put on airs or be special. Every time Li Min visits a memorial hall in other places, she never appears as "Chairman Mao's child". She always appears as an ordinary tourist. It was not until she was recognized by the staff that she reluctantly admitted.
Because Chairman Mao was seriously ill in his later years, he rarely saw Li Min. Li Min also felt very regretful and guilty about this. After the opening of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Li Min went to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall to visit his father many times. Sometimes he did not want to trouble the staff. , and queued up alone.
Picture | Li Min at Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
Like her, there is Li Na . Every year on Chairman Mao’s birthday and anniversary, she would go to the memorial hall with her brother Mao Anqing and others and walk to her father’s crystal coffin. Looking at the person I love most, I shed tears silently.
On weekdays, the staff often saw Li Ne. She remembered her father's words and always lined up in the crowd to enter. When the staff saw her, they would let her in directly, but she refused.
Li Ne said that she had been taking the bus to pay her respects. The staff gave her special care, but she declined politely. She wanted to pay homage to Chairman Mao with the masses.
Second, He Zizhen.
Since He Zizhen left Yan'an, He Zizhen has only met Chairman Mao once in the past 22 years, and that was in 1959 in Lushan.
After Chairman Mao passed away, He Zizhen applied to the party organization, hoping to see Chairman Mao’s remains in the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, to which the central government agreed.
In mid-September 1979, He Zizhen, accompanied by her daughter Li Min, came to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Beijing. As soon as she entered the memorial hall, she saw the serene white marble seated statue. He Zizhen felt the intimacy of being seated in the statue and was speechless. tears.
Later, she asked the photographer to take a special photo of her. This was the last photo of her and Chairman Mao since 1937.
Chairman Mao's glorious
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall is divided into 3 floors, including 1 underground floor and 2 above ground floors. The first floor mainly includes the North Hall, the Visiting Hall and the South Hall.The North Hall is where commemorative activities are held. A white marble statue of Chairman Mao is placed in the center of the hall.
Chairman Mao's body lies in the crystal coffin in the center of the viewing hall. The white marble wall of the south hall is engraved with the handwriting of Mao Zedong's poem "Manjianghong·and Comrade Guo Moruo" gilded in silver. On the second floor of the memorial hall, there is a memorial room for the revolutionary achievements of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yun. The
Memorial Room uses detailed historical materials and precious cultural relics to reflect the great achievements of the six great proletarian revolutionaries in the cause of Chinese revolution, construction and reform.
Today, Chairman Mao has passed away for more than 40 years, and the people's memory of Chairman Mao has never stopped. There is always a long queue in front of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Beijing, which is a "river of remembrance." .
Everyone who sees the serene white marble statue will feel that Chairman Mao is talking to us cordially, which makes people cry and miss him.
