Great Hall of the People
The Great Hall of the People is a state building located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Xicheng, Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the government of the People's Republic of China and the ruling Chinese Communist Party. The People's Great Hall functions as the meeting place for the full sessions of the National People's Congress, the Chinese legislature, which occurs every year during March along with the national session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a political advisory body. It is also the meeting place of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, which, since the 12th conference in 1982, has occurred once every five years and the party's Central Committee which meets approximately once a year.
For the hall in Chongqing, see Great Hall of the People (Chongqing).Great Hall of the People
Renda Huitang West Road
Tiananmen Square,
Xicheng, Beijing
September 1959
人民大会堂
人民大會堂
People's Great Assembly Hall
Rénmín Dàhuìtáng
[ɻə̌nmǐn tâxwêɪtʰǎŋ]
Rénmín Dàhuìtáng
[ɻə̌nmǐn tâxwêɪtʰǎŋ]
Renmin Dahhueytarng
Jenmin Tahuit'ang
The Hall is also used for many special events, including national level meetings of various social and political organizations, large anniversary celebrations, as well as the memorial services for former leaders. The Great Hall of the People is also a popular attraction in the city frequented by tourists visiting the capital.
History[edit]
The Great Hall of the People was opened in September 1959 as one of the "Ten Great Constructions" completed for the 10th Anniversary of the PRC. The decision to build the Hall was made by the politburo in August 1958.[1] Zhou Enlai believed the final design should give the message that "the people are the masters of the country".[1] After design proposals were submitted, a group of architects from across the country chose the winning design by Zhao Dongri and Shen Qi. Zhang Bo was appointed as the chief architect. The construction took 10 months, 7,785 workers and was fashioned with military-like strategies that emulated the Great Leap Forward.[2]