First-Time Guide to Chairman Mao Zedong's Former Residence in Shaoshan, Carefully Compiled

✅In December 2019, I came to Changsha specifically to visit Chairman Mao's former residence. I chartered a car from Changsha to Shaoshan (450 yuan per day). "When you drink water, remember the well-digger" – we must never forget the roots of our happy life. This visit was a heartfelt tribute to this great man!
✍️Only upon arrival did I realize the scenic area is unimaginably vast, likely encompassing several villages. For independent travelers, some pre-trip planning is essential to avoid aimless wandering, unnecessary detours, and wasted time/effort. Here’s my optimized one-day itinerary, hoping to help first-time visitors.

✅✅Pre-Tour Prep:
Go to the transfer center → Choose attractions → Buy tickets → Board shuttle → Begin tour

‼️‼️Whether arriving by high-speed rail, private car, or chartered vehicle, everyone must switch to eco-friendly shuttle buses at the transfer center.

👉Main Attractions:
Shaoshan Transfer Center → Mao Zedong Square (Bronze Statue) → Mao Clan Ancestral Hall → Mao Zedong Memorial Hall → Comrade Mao Zedong's Former Residence → South Bank Private School → Mao Zedong Memorial Park (60 yuan ticket) → Dishui Cave Scenic Area (40 yuan ticket) → Shaoshan Transfer Center

✅✅Ticketing:
On the right side of the transfer center lobby:
- Eco-shuttle: 20 yuan (unlimited rides)
- Mao Zedong Memorial Park: 60 yuan
- Dishui Cave Scenic Area: 40 yuan
- Other attractions: Free
‼️‼️Note: Don’t confuse the free Memorial Hall with the paid Memorial Park (60 yuan)!

✅✅Shuttle Routes:
‼️‼️Simply ask staff at shuttle stops if the bus goes to your desired attraction. If yes, board—no need to overcomplicate.

🚙Route 1: Transfer Center → Mao Zedong Square East Stop (exit only) → Mao Zedong Square North Stop (Former Residence) → Memorial Park East Gate → Dishui Cave → Mao Zedong Square West Stop → Transfer Center.
🚙Route 2: Transfer Center → Mao Zedong Square East Stop (exit only) → Shaoshan Hotel → Mao Zedong Square West Stop → Transfer Center.

✅✅Recommended Route:
Shaoshan Transfer Center → Mao Zedong Square (Bronze Statue) → Mao Clan Ancestral Hall → Mao Zedong Memorial Hall → Comrade Mao Zedong's Former Residence → South Bank Private School → Mao Zedong Memorial Park (60 yuan) → Dishui Cave Scenic Area (40 yuan) → Shaoshan Transfer Center

✅Tour Route Details:
🦶🦶From Transfer Center, take shuttle to Mao Zedong Square East Stop (exit only). Walk straight for minutes—clearly signposted. On the left: Mao Zedong Square (Bronze Statue), Mao Clan Ancestral Hall, Memorial Hall, and Relics Hall (all near the square).
‼️‼️Note: Get free Memorial Hall tickets with ID—keep them for Relics Hall/Former Residence entry (no reissuing needed).

👀👀Mao Zedong Square (Bronze Statue):
✍️The statue stands at the square’s center, backed by Shaofeng Peak. Towering in a Sun Yat-sen suit, Chairman Mao holds scrolls with a faint smile. The base bears Jiang Zemin’s inscription "Comrade Mao Zedong," surrounded by flowers and pines.
🙏Circle the statue three times, bow three times, and deeply honor this historic figure. Stone-carved poems adorn the square—feel free to recite aloud!

👀👀Mao Zedong Memorial Hall (Must Visit):
A thematic museum showcasing Mao’s life, ideology, and character, including biographical exhibits, special sections, and historic sites.

✅✅Next Stops:
🦶🦶From the Memorial Hall, return to the main road. At the fork, take Yingbin Avenue (right) to reach Comrade Mao Zedong's Former Residence and South Bank Private School.

👀👀Comrade Mao Zedong's Former Residence (Must Visit):
‼️‼️Store bags beforehand—only cameras/phones allowed inside.
✍️Built in early Republic China, this southern farmhouse features a U-shaped layout with 13.5 rooms: mud-brick walls, tiled roofs, and shared central hall. Mao’s family occupied 13 tiled rooms (east side); neighbors lived in four thatched rooms (west).

👀👀South Bank Private School:
West of the Former Residence, this Qing Dynasty brick-and-tile school educated 8-year-old Mao for two years starting in 1901.

✅Next Leg:
🦶🦶Walk or shuttle from the Former Residence to Mao Zedong Memorial Park.

👀👀Mao Zedong Memorial Park (Not Recommended):
✍️Miniature replicas of key sites from Mao’s revolutionary journey, including:
- Hunan First Normal School well pavilion
- Nanhu Boat (First CPC Congress site)
- Jinggangshan Octagonal House
- Yan’an Pagoda (1:2 scale)
- Others at 1:1 scale

✅Final Stop:
🦶🦶Dishui Cave is farther—take the shuttle from Memorial Park’s East Gate or directly from the Former Residence.

👀👀Dishui Cave Scenic Area (Recommended):
A breathtaking, mysterious valley 4km west of Mao’s statue. Skip the paid shuttle—just walk minutes to the cave.
✍️Highlights:
👉Building No.1: T-shaped brick house where Mao stayed secretly for 11 days in 1966. Features a 1970 bomb shelter.
👉Building No.2: 24 rooms for officials, adjacent to No.1.
👉Building No.3: Staff quarters, 100m away.
✍️Tiger Rest Peak: Hike past bamboo groves to Mao’s ancestral grave, tiger sculptures, and pavilions.
✍️Dragon Head Mountain: Left of the cave, featuring Mao’s great-grandparents’ tomb and Longquan Springs.

🙏🙏🙏With ample time (a full day recommended), visit all sites reverently to fully absorb their significance!