He dreamed of a strong, unified and democratic China, in death creating an everlasting symbol of China’s transition from empire to republic. Today, the Sun Yat-sen mausoleum remains a must see for both Chinese and international visitors to Nanjing.
The man himself, Sun (1866–1925) is also still revered as the revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and founding the Republic of China, here in Nanjing in 1912.
But his passing left a gaping hole of grief among the populace, to which the nationalist government was keen to pay due respect. Hence was launched a global design competition for his mausoleum. Winner was a young US-educated architect named Lü Yanzhi, for his modern reinterpretation of a classical Chinese tomb.
Construction began in January 1926 and was completed in 1929. With thousands of labourers on the construction site, traditional materials were brought together with reinforced concrete to ensure durability.
Pinnacle to the project is of course the Sacrificial Hall (祭堂) and Tomb Chamber (墓室), constructed from white marble and blue-glazed tiles, with a triple-eaved roof resembling traditional Chinese palatial architecture. Inside, a statue of Sun sits majestically, while the walls are inscribed with his “Three Principles of the People” (三民主义). Behind the hall lies the circular tomb chamber, where Sun’s sarcophagus is placed beneath a reclining statue.
It’s a well-known narrative. Less so, perhaps, is the story of the steps that every visitor must climb to visit the great revolutionary leader. For it is here that symbolism abounds.
As many a tired pair of legs will attest, 392 steps are to be ascended from the white marble archway at the Mausoleum’s base inscribed with another of Sun’s founding principals; “Universal Love” (博爱).
Those 392 steps are mainly significant for reflecting those Three Principles of the People, the nine provinces of China that Sun sought to unify, combined with the two characters of his name (中山).
But the true kicker is the optical illusions experienced by visitors. On the way up, they see only steps, symbolising struggle; looking down from the top, only the platforms separating the sets of stepsare visible , as symbols of achievement and vision.
If ever there was an architectural “pièce de résistance” to top all others, it must surely be the case that Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum has few contenders.
