According to Chinese State media, over 200 million people have visited the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall since it first opened in 1977. The lines out front — which grow even longer during holiday weeks and around important dates such as the anniversary of Mao’s death in late September and Mao’s birthday on December 26 — suggest that Mao remains a powerful draw even in the era of Xi Jinping.
Beijing authorities are now hoping to bestow a bit of international prestige on the Memorial Hall by making a bid for Mao’s tomb — and 14 other Beijing landmarks — to join the list of World Cultural Heritage sites by 2035.