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The Glossary

shan - "means mountain. If you see a shan at the end of the name of a place, it means that it is a mountain in which you may hike, camp, or make a temple visit if it is a sacred mountain."

From China Glossary

The birthplace of Chinese communism is Changsa, a major rice market during the Qing Dynasty that gradually emerged as today's sprawling metropolis of aristocratic subdivisions, towering skylines and historical sites, which include Hunan University, where Mao Zedong studied and was baptized into communism. Since the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), Changsa has had a steady growth as the capital and commercial center of Hunan Province. The city's main lure are its sights related to Mao Zedong, although the city also has Han Dynasty relics that attract history buffs from all over the world.

At the heart of Changsa is the JingGuang Railway Station, which connects travelers to all major Chinese cities like Beijing. A famous view one gets when traveling to the city is Xiang River, a branch of the historic Yangtze River. Occasionally, the city experiences flash floods when the river overflows, yet the floods are also responsible for the city's evergreen rice paddies.

A colossal 1960's aluminum statue of Mao greets visitors entering Changsha City Museum, an almost-empty exhibit of Mao's youth memorabilia. Upstairs, regular Chinese performances pay tribute to Mao and his second wife, Yang Kaihui. Many taxis are also at hand taking tourists to Mao's rustic birthplace in Shaoshan.

Every weekend, a small antiques market surfaces at the gates of Hunan CPC Committee, the former site of Mao's living quarters that now displays his photos, poems and other historical records from the ‘20s.

A self-guided tour takes one to Hunan No. 1 Teachers' Training School, where Mao attended classes from 1913 to 1918 and returned as a teacher and a principal from 1920 to 1922. Beside the school are Mao's dormitory, study areas, and halls where he enjoyed cold baths or held some of his first political meetings. Across the river is Hunan University, where one can buy chou dofu (stinky tofu) from a street vendor while examining Mao's statue, erected in his honor as a famous alumnus.

The 2,100-year-old preserved body of Xin Zui, the Marques of Dai from Han Dynasty, is the primary attraction of Hunan Provincial Museum, which displays many Han-era artifacts including pottery, lacquer-ware, and an impressive collection of Chinese silk.

The only remains of the old city walls is Tianxin Ge, which was eye-witness to Changsa's besiegement during the Taiping Rebellion and the brief Japanese occupation during the Sino-Japanese War of 1937 to 1945.

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