Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

The basics

There are a number of sights at Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, so expect to spend a few hours at the memorial. Tours generally follow a route that includes the Meiling Palace, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Yin Yue Tai, and Guang Hua Pavilion, as well as the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and two more pavilions. It’s worth it to go with a guide, to learn about the significance of each building. Inside the mausoleum itself, there are special archways, gates, and more, which all have sacred meanings.

Things to know before you go

• Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, since you’ll need to walk up and down hundreds of stairs, along with walking the grounds of the mausoleum complex.

• Book a tour that also includes a city tour of Nanjing, since there are other important historical attractions near the mausoleum.

• Day tours run from Suzhou and Shanghai, so keep this in mind as a possible option from either place.

• Due to the stairs, the site is not wheelchair accessible.

How to get there

You can reach Nanjing by train from Shanghai and other major cities in China. Once you’re in Nanjing, take the metro, the sightseeing bus, or a taxi to cheaply and easily reach the mausoleum. Or, book a tour including transportation to take all the hassle out of your trip.

When to get there

You can visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum any day of the week except Monday, and it’s open from early morning to very early evening. Try to get there early in the day, and go on a weekday, to avoid crowds. Keep in mind that on national holidays, like Chinese New Year or the first weeks of May and October, the mausoleum will be particularly packed.

Nanjing food

Every city in China has specialty food, and Nanjing is no exception. After a day of exploring—and climbing and descending hundreds of stairs—you’ll work up an appetite. Some of Nanjing’s noteworthy dishes are salted duck (make sure to eat the skin and fat), stinky tofu (once you get past the aroma), and hairy crab (delicately dipped in vinegar).