the monument was built in memory of thousands of martyrs who died for the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people. Its construction began on August 1, 1952 and was not completed until 1958. In the form of an obelisk, the Monument as made of more than 17, 000 pieces of marble. The purple piece inlaid in the front of the Monument was brought from Qingdao, Shandong Province. It is 38 meters (124ft 8 in) high, the loftiest of its kind ever seen in the country. Not only is it an historic memorial for immortal heroes, but also it is an artistic work of excellent architectural value.

    On the front side of the Monument is an engraved inscription in Chinese characters written by Chairman Mao Zedong, which reads" Eternal Glory to the People's Heroes!" On the back of the Monument is an article written by Chairman Mao, but in Chinese calligraphy by the late Premier Zhou Enlai.

    At the top of the Monument are eight gigantic carved wreathes of such flowers as peony, lotus and chrysanthemum, symbolizing nobility, purity, and fortitude. At the base of the monument are eight marble reliefs depicting the Chinese historic events since 1840. They are:

    1) The Burning of Opium in 1840:

    2) The uprising of 1851 in Jintian, Guangxi;

    3) The Revolution of 1911;

    4) The May Fourth Movement of 1919;

    5) The May 30th Movement of 1925;

    6) The Uprising of 1927 in Nanchang, Jiangxi;

    7) The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from 1937 to 1945;

    8) The Victorious Crossing over the Yangtze River by the Peoples's Liberation Army in 1949. This relief is flanked by two smaller ones—"Supplying the Front" and "Greeting the P.L.A."

    4 Chairman Mao's Mausoleum

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