SHAOSHAN is a county-level city in Xiangtan City, Hunan Province. Shaoshan Mountain is one of the 72 peaks of the majestic Hengshan Mountain. According to one legend, when King Yu was heading south to inspect flood control projects, he stopped in the area and played some ancient Shao music. The place was then called Shaoshan Mountain of the Shao Music. Shaoshan was where Mao Zedong (1893-1976), the late leader of China, was born and raised. An exhibition hall memorializing Mao’s life and revolutionary activities has been built in Shaoshan, and is now open to visitors, with option to stay at the local hotel. There are regular train and bus services between Shaoshan Mountain and Changsha, the provincial capital. People erected a statue of Mao, preserved his house, and set up a museum. Many Chinese come to pay their respects during holidays. Despite the crowds, Shaoshan has not lost its quaint pastoral charm, characterized by traditional adobe houses, which are nestled between green hills and lush paddy fields. Visitors can also visit the childhood home of another late Chinese Communist Party leader Liu Shaoqi. (China Daily) | 