Chairman Mao Zedong's Villa

The villa of Chairman Mao Zedong is perched on the bank of East Lake of Wuchang. The villa has three buildings Meiling One, Two and Three. Built in 1985, it was once a retreat house for Chairman Mao and other privileged ruling members of the Politburo. During the period of Chinese Cultural Revolution, Mao nicknamed it 'Home of the White Clouds and Yellow Cranes' in a letter. In fact, he enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and great relief it provided. The most attractive scenery of tree-lined footpath, dense grove, flying songbirds, and his favorite pines, bamboo trees and plums seen everywhere can undoubtedly, make you eager to stay forever.

Meiling Building One was Chairman Mao's private residence where he ate, slept, wrote and conducted numerous daily national affairs. It has a bedroom, a sitting room, a reception room and a formal dining room. He received many celebrities and foreign friends, including President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger of the United States of America in 1972. The dining room is highlighted by a restful scenic painting of trees with dark gray foliage, soft colored flowers and a gentle orange sun, with its mix of plum carpeting, red tablecloth and emerald green crushed velvet armchairs. The same grey covered chair where the great leader sat is still there, but rather faded and frayed now. The chair and lamps are still in the same position as they were 27 years ago. The bedroom was furnished with plain fifties furniture with a pink and white patterned chaise.

Meiling Building Two, the assembly hall, has a huge lobby cloaked in heavily worn curtains. The hall with its hundreds of red upholstered chairs facing the stage is cordoned off while the lobby is open to the public. On the balcony, there is a wicker chair placed in a certain position as was placed in the past, with a framed photograph hanging next to it. Visitors are permitted to sit on the chair and take photos of themselves as souvenirs.

Meiling Building Three houses Mao's private indoor swimming pool. It is about 30-meter long and six lanes wide, the same as most competition-sized pools. It is lined with tiles with stainless steel ladders, and underwater lights. There are nine floor-to-ceiling tinted windows, which Mao could see through during his daily swims.

As early as 1993, Meiling was open to the public, and has received numerous travelers, both local tourists and foreigners. The best time to visit is now and you can recall Chairman Mao's experiences of his late years and get glimpses of the great leader's historical and colorful life. If you are fond of Chairman Mao, it is an ideal place.

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