Shaoshan, known as the birthplace of Mao Zedong, the founding father of People’s Republic of China, is a county-level city of Xiangtan City in central China’s Hunan Province. Shaoshan City is 104 kilometers away from
Changsha. It is also known as a ''red tourism'' site and a revolutionary holy place. Shaoshan is a world-class tourist attraction, national-class sightseeing and the excellent tourist city in China.
Shaoshan Facts
Chinese Name: Shao Shan 韶山
Location: west of Xiangtan City, central China's Hunan Province.
Area: 247 square kilometers
Population:
Nationalities: Han
History of Shaoshan
Surrounded by mountains, Shaoshan has the obvious pros and cons of a mountain township: beautiful, quiet and economy hindered by inconvenient traffic. But its history was changed by the birth of a great man – Mao Zedong, the first chairman of People’s Republic of China. Mao was born in Shaoshan on December 26, 1893. He spent his childhood and youth on study, labor and revolutionary activities in Shaoshan. After the founding of New China in 1949, Shaoshan Railway station, Memorial Hall of Mao, hotels, restaurants and other facilities were constructed in succession, laying foundations for tourism industry. Mao’s Former Residence was open to the public in 1950. In the year of 1985, the provincial government made a decision to push Shaoshan into a revolutionary memorial site and a scenic spot and at the same time open the Water-dripping Cave to tourists. A great change has taken place in Shaoshan. Every year people across China come to Shaoshan to commemorate the birthday of later Chairman Mao and attend memorial activities such as eating longevity noodles and singing ''red songs'' (inspiring revolutionary songs).
What to see ?
Covering 247 square kilometers and surrounded by mountains, Shaoshan highlights historical sites such as the Mao's Former Residence, the Memorial Hall of Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong Relic Museum, and natural landscapes of Shao Peak, Water-dripping Cave, and Blackstone Village. After the founding of New China in 1949, millions of visitors from home and abroad come here to pay homage to Mao Zedong, bringing tourism-related revenues for this city. Shaoshan is the heart of China’s red tourism industry and a patriotism educational base. Azalea is the city flower, symbolizing revolution and well being.
Nowadays tourism instead of farming has become the pillar industry of Shaoshan. Currently it has seven scenic spots and 82 attractions. It draws more than one million tourists each year. Visitors can pay a visit to Memorial Hall of Mao and Mao Zedong Relic Museum, salute to the Bronze Statue of Mao in the square, take a glimpse of green lotus pond in front of the Mao’s Former Residence, or climb the Shao Peak. In summer, visitors prefer to visit the Water-dripping Cave to beat summer heat; in spring, they can soak in the sea of azalea blossoms. Mao Braised Pork in Brown Sauce, which is agreeably fat, is an extremely popular dish among locals and tourists. Entering the Former Residence of Mao Zedong and strolling in the dense forests of Shaoshanchong, you may find the footprints of the great leader of China.
How to get there?
By Train: Shaoshan railway station, as the terminus close to Shaoshan bus station, and opposite to the Mao Zedong statue Park, is located in the Qingxi Town. Every day, trains bound for Changsha are available.
By Bus: Shaoshan has its own bus station that located in the Qingxi Town. Every morning, buses bound for Xiangtan are running every fifteen minutes from five o’clock in the morning. Buses leaving for Changsha are running every thirty minutes from 07:00 to 17:30. Besides, if you are in Changsha Nan bus station, you can take bus to Shaoshan, which runs every fifty minutes from 7:00 to 17:00.
City Transportation: By bus – beltway connects scenic spots in Shaoshan together. Buses can take visitors from railway station or bus station to many attractions such as Di Shui Cave, Former Residence of Mao Zedong from 06:00 to 19:30.
When to visit?
Falling in the subtropical humid climate zone, Shaoshan has distinct seasons, with short mind-numbing winter, long sweltering summer, and arid autumn and summer. the annual temperature is 16.7℃ on average, the temperature of January being 4.4℃, July being 28.9℃. in regard to the annual precipitation, it reaches 1,358 millimeters on average. The sunshine duration is longer than its surrounding counties – it can last 1,717 hours annually.
In spring, you can appreciate green hills and verdant trees, as well as rosy azaleas! When summer sets foot in, you can go to Di Shui Cave for sheltering from the severe heat. When it comes to autumn, showers of rain will visit the city, which makes people feel cool. In winter, as it snows, the whole city becomes a world of white.
You can travel around Shaoshan throughout the year, and the best time is from March to October.
China Tours with Shaoshan
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