Being as how we were stuck in Beijing, Erin was very hard to get up in the morning (what's the point?). So on our third try I managed to get her to leave the warmth of the hostel and get to Mao's memorial before it closed.
Mao Zedong was the infamous first leader of the People's Republic of China. When he died, even though he wished to be cremated, the Politburo followed the example of Lenin in Russia and...well...pickled him. He now rests in the huge "Maosoleum" on the south end on Tiananmen square. Seeing his preserved body is one of the few free things to do in China. But despite his notorious reputation, many Chinese show a deep respect for him.
The whole procedure is quite an event. You aren't allowed to bring any bags or cameras into the building. We came prepared by bringing nothing in the first place. Then we lined up with a big mass of Chinese visitors and were shaped into something resembling a line by loudspeaker-toting guards. Then the security checks. We were funneled through metal detectors and then the Chinese people were searched with wands. Then we had an opportunity to buy big yellow flowers for Mao while we waited to be admitted to the building. We were marched through the outer hall, which contained a giant statue of the Chairman. People could place flowers at his feet beneath the glare of the two guards flanking the statue. I looked back to see a woman and her daughter (maybe 10), timidly approaching the guards to place their yellow flowers on the floor. Did the child know what she was doing?
The next room was the big event. We entered at Mao's feet. and circled around the big glass case by his head. His entire body was covered with a Communist flag, and all you could see was his face. It was surprisingly large and waxy. Was it actually the wax version that also rests in the refrigerator below? I guess I'll never know. What waits beyond this room do you think? You're right if you guessed a giant souvenir shop with Mao's face engraved on just about everything. The whole experience seems to represent China in so many ways. A very strange morning. ~Travis More thumbnails ...
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