The Yuhuatai Martyrs' Cemetery is situated outside of Zhonghuamen inNanjing,JiangsuProvince.
Yuhuatai, originally called Shizitang (hillock of small stones), is about 100 meters high and 3,500 meters long. The cemetery's name is derived from a time when Buddhism was very popular during the Liang Dynasty (502-557) of the Southern Dynasty (420-589): a master named Yunguang, who preached sermons on top of the hill, moved the gods, who made flowers fall from heaven.
From the April 12th Coup of 1927, however, the place became an execution ground where many communists and patriots were killed by the Kuomintang reactionaries. In 22 years, about 100,000 communists, workers, peasants, intellectuals and other revolutionists and patriots sacrificed their lives for the country at Yuhuatai. In 1950, the cemetery was founded at Yuhuatai in honor of the martyrs.
The cemetery consists of the main peaks and five other hillocks covering 54.2 hectares. There are two stone pillars standing in front of the gate at 11.7 meters in height, symbolizing the way of the Russian October Revolution. Inside there is a spacious square and flower terraces. A 6.8-meter-high monument stands on the main peak with the engravings:Long Live Revolutionary Martyrs, written by Mao Zedong himself. At the spot where the martyrs were killed are also a Revolutionary Martyrs Dying Place archway and other memorial structures.
Tombs for the martyrs can be found at the western execution place in the western hillock and at the eastern execution place a memorial pavilion has been set up for the martyrs. At the northern part, a 14.2-by-10.3-meter sculpture in umber granite depicting Party members, an intellectual, a worker, a peasant, a soldier -- nine martyrs in total -- represents the martyrs' noble spirit and moral courage. At the foot of the eastern main peak, the Exhibition Hall for the Martyrs' Revolutionary Historical Deeds features photographs, wills, relics and other revolutionary cultural materials.
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