Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum



The Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen is situated at the foot of the second peak of Purple Mountain in Nanjing,
because of the purple clouds that often hang over its peaks. With its many green pines and cypresses, blue
tiles and silvery walls, the mausoleum offers a sublime and majestic view. . Construction of the tomb started
in January of 1926 and was finished in spring of 1929.

Dr. Sun was born in Guangdong province of China on November 12th, 1866, and died in 1925 in Beijing,
China. On April 23rd, 1929， the Chinese government appointed He Yingqin to be in charge of laying Dr. Sun
to rest. On May 26th, the coffin departed from Beijing, and on May 28th, 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 south-facing mausoleum covers an area of over 80,000 square meters, and includes the semi-circle square, the memorial archway, the pass
way, the gate hall, the tablet pavilion, the sacrificial hall and the coffin chamber. All the buildings in the mausoleum's layout are arranged on a north
to south axis.

The mausoleum was designed in the shape of an alarm bell, reflecting Dr. Sun's idea of "evoking the mass people to build the Republic of China"
. The bronze statue of his image at the foot of the mountain is the spire of the bell，and the semi-circle square in front of the entrance resembles
the arch top of the bell. The main memorial hall's vault looks like the pendulum. The huge bronze Ding (an ancient cooking vessel with two or three
loop handles), a symbol of power in ancient times is seen as the hand of the bell.

The mausoleum architecture design was picking out from many of the volunteer designers. That is the reason why the Dr.
Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum is the best sight in Nanjing City, which enjoys the reputation of "The Ancient Capital of Six
Dynasties" and has more than 40 scenic spots.