House of People’s Assembly of the PRC in Beijing –
– It is here that the congresses of the Communist Party of China

The main political building of China is the House of Folk Assembly. He is located in Beijing on Tiananmen Square opposite Mausoleum Mao Zedong. This is one of the "10 great buildings", built in 1959 to the 10th anniversary of the proclamation of the PRC.

Another building "Great Tens" is nearby – this is the National Museum of China. The facades of these two buildings look at each other.

According to the official historical version, the building was built in 10 months by volunteers. However, then all the Chinese were considered volunteers, and there is nothing surprising in this phrase.

The scale of the building is impressive – it is 356 meters long, 206 meters wide, 46.5 meters high. Total area inside 171,800 square meters. Some sources on the Internet claim that this area is a record, but no record here "does not smell". For example, TC "Golden Babylon", which is 1.4 times more (240,000) in Moscow, and Dubai Mall shopping center in the UAE 3 times more (502,000). However, the house of people’s assembly in Beijing owns many other records.

The name "House of Folk Assembly" is not quite true. If you translate his name directly from the Chinese language, it will turn out "the people of the big assembly hall", and the English version sounds like "Great Hall of the People", that is, the "Great Hall of the People".

The word "meetings" disappeared from the English version, and the our version lost the words "the Great". our version can be understood. China so often use the word "great" that it quickly reads bother.

How to get

Best use the Beijing subway. Nearby are three stations – this is Qianmen (CIEMEN) on the 2nd (blue) branch, and Tiananmen East Station (Tiananmen East) and Tiananmen West (Tiananmen Western) on the 1st (red) line.

We recommend going out on any of the red branch stations. You will fall on Tiananmen Square, and there you can easily navigate.

In the center there is a good landmark – this is a high column – a monument to folk heroes, for her Mausoleum Mao, and in front of them the big screens showing patriotic rollers about China (see. photo on the left). To the right of this central axis and there will be a house of folk assemblies.

It is worth noting that coming out on Tiananmen West (Western), you will not see the area right away. You will have to go a little in the direction of the forbidden city to get to the square. The photo above is made from the exit from the station Tiananmen East (East).

The main functions of this building

Most of the time there is nothing important happening, and it is open for tourists. However, be prepared that the house of the people’s assemblies at the time of your visit to Beijing will be closed. It’s almost impossible to predict. The building has a formal site with a version in English, but there is no schedule.

Once every five years, here the main political event of China is held – this is the CNR Communist Party Congress (PDA). It is at this time that important and turning events in the life of the country are possible.

Once a year, the meeting of China’s People’s Representatives is held here. This is a meeting of the country’s parliament, which, however, does not solve anything important. He only makes out the voting laws written by the top of the CCP. Everyone understands democracy in its own way.

Simultaneously meets China’s People’s Political Advisory Council. It is also a meeting of delegates collected not only from China itself, but also from foreign diasporas. This meeting has a consultative function and also does not solve anything important.

The building is used for official techniques, political and international meetings, celebrations and funeral ceremonies of respected members of the CCP. The last feature, as you understand, eliminates any opportunity to predict whether the house of the people’s assembly will be open when you visit Beijing.

The last important funerals were held here in 1997, when Dan Xiaopin died – Chinese reformer. But the most famous Chinese – Mao Zedong was buried not here, and outside Tiananmen Square.

Benefit price and security rules

The cost of an adult ticket – 30 Chinese yuan, and children can enter 15 yuan. To buy a ticket requires a passport. Peel into almost nothing can. Any bags will have to be left in the storage chamber, even cameras from cameras are not allowed. In the storage chamber you need to make a deposit.

Cameras themselves and mobile phones can be passed inside, but it is forbidden to take pictures in the halls. Inside you can take a picture for a fee.

What to look – a big audience

It is here that the main meetings are held. 3693 places in the parter, 3515 places on the balcony, 2518 in the gallery and up to 500 delegates may be at the Department. Everything he accommodates 10,000 people.

All places are equipped with voting devices and audio with the ability to transfer to 12 languages, simply click the desired button.

The ceiling of the audience is crowned with a huge red star, it produces an indelible impression on visitors. This meeting room is a record holder in size among indoor similar premises.

Only for the sake of it is worth entering the House of People’s Assembly of China. It is not even clear how they are sitting here? After all, the gallery is not visible at all that happens in the presidium. Probably, delegates take binoculars with them, otherwise and not to understand who stands there.

No matter how nonpatriotically sounded, but the Kremlin Palace of Congresses is fading compared to the Chinese "fellow".

What to watch – a big banquet hall

And this banquet hall is also a record holder in its class. Try to close your eyes and imagine a banquet for 5,000 people. But in the Bolshoi Banquet Hall such events are arranged.

More precisely, such a record reception was satisfied only once. It was back in 1972. Then the "warming" of relations between China and the United States came. President Richard Nixon arrived in Beijing, and the banquet arranged in his honor (in the photo on the left).

Usually there are no tables and chairs in this room, so you have to use the imagination more than eyes. In reality, this is just a hall of a large area, and it looks boring.

According to logic, somewhere near the kitchen in the world should be nearby, but they definitely not show it for tourists, and sorry.

Inside there are 7 more big rooms, but we will not stop on them in detail. Not all of them are constantly open for tourists, and it is difficult to predict what you get, and in which there are no.

What to watch the halls of the provinces

All of them 34 in terms of the number of provinces and regions of the PRC.

If you read the descriptions of these rooms on the Internet, it may be a false impression that this is something like a museum. In fact, this is a conference hall, and they are simply decorated and furnished in accordance with the style of the respective provinces of China.

Separate halls are dedicated to the cities of Hong Kong and Macau, which have recently become part of the PRC on full rights.

A separate hall is devoted to Taiwan, which is not included in the PRC, but is an independent state, and in the PRC is not going to.

Another hall is devoted to Tibet. This region is part of China, although the relationship of Tibetans and Chinese complex. Tibet would be disconnected with great pleasure, and this room will rather disgust than pride.

After visiting the halls you can buy souvenirs for memory. In total, tourists spend from one hour to two. Then we recommend going to Vanfujin’s street or to the Sidan area to have a snack. They are not so far.

Interesting you walking in Beijing, and read articles about China on our website (Links below).