Mao Zedong died in September 1976 and his memorial hall was constructed on the southern side of Tiān’ānmén Sq soon afterwards. This squat, Soviet-inspired mausoleum lies on Běijīng’s north–south axis of symmetry on the footprint of Zhōnghuá Gate (Zhōnghuá Mén), a vast and ancient portal flattened during the communist development of Tiān’ānmén Sq. Mao is still revered across much of China, and you’ll see some people reduced to tears here at the sight of his mummified corpse.
It lies in a crystal cabinet, draped in an anachronistic red flag emblazoned with hammer and sickle, as guards in white gloves impatiently wave visitors on towards further rooms, where a riot of Mao kitsch – lighters, bracelets, statues, key rings, bottle openers, you name it – ensues.
Bags and cameras need to be deposited at the building east of the memorial hall across the road from Tiān’ānmén Sq. And don’t forget your passport. You won’t be let into the hall without it. Note, the queues may seem impossibly long, but they are constantly moving (visitors aren't allowed to stop inside the hall), so go down relatively quickly.
