The Monument to the People's Heroes was built in memory of the martyrs who laid down their lives for the revolutionary struggle of the Chinese people in the past century.  It was built in accordance with the resolution of the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference adopted on November 30,1949. Chairman Mao and other delegates laid the corner stone for the monument on that afternoon.
   The 38-metre-high monument was open on July 1, 1958.  It covers an area of 3,000 square metres.  The stone tablet was from Qingdao, Shandong Province. On the front is an inscription in the late Chairman Mao's handwriting:  "Eternal glory to the people's heroes!" On the back is the late Premier Zhou Enlai's message: "Eternal glory to the people's heroes who laid down their lives in the War of Liberation in the past three years and the people's revolution in the past three decades! Eternal glory to the people's heroes who laid down their lives in the struggles agains foreign and domestic enemies, for national independence and for the people's freedom and happiness from 1840 onward!" At the base of the tablet are eight pieces of huge bas-reliefs out of white marble covering the revolutionary episodes.