Mao Zedong's Former Residence, Traditional residence in Shaoshan, China

Mao Zedong's Former Residence stands at Shangwuchang in Shaoshan Village, Shaoshan Township, Xiangtan, Hunan. The earthen-and-wood rural house faces north and forms a U-shaped plan: the Mao family's rooms on the east side, a neighbour's on the west, and a shared central hall between them. It covers over 560 square metres of ground, with about 470 square metres of building area.

Mao Zedong's grandfather built a five-and-a-half-room hut on this site in 1878; Mao was born here in 1893 and lived here about 17 years. He returned in 1912, 1925 and 1927, setting up a CCP branch in the house in 1925. The Kuomintang confiscated and destroyed it in 1929; it was restored to its original form in 1950 and opened to the public on 6 February 1951.

The house is laid out with the Mao family's rooms on the east side and a neighbour's on the west, sharing a central hall. Inside, the bedrooms of Mao, his parents and brothers Mao Zemin and Mao Zetan are furnished as they were, with the family's beds, cabinets, desks and folding stools. The kitchen holds a water tank and cupboard, while the farm tools room keeps a stone mill, waterwheel and rice pestle.

The residence sits at Shangwuchang in Shaoshan Village, reached from Xiangtan in Hunan. The house faces north, with Mao's family rooms on the east side and a neighbour's on the west, sharing the central hall. Rooms are restored with original furniture, so passage is narrow; the site was closed for rebuilding and repairs for 15 days in December 2004.

The house is oriented south-to-north and built of earth and wood in a concave "凹" plan: the Mao family lived in the east half, a neighbour in the west, and both shared the central hall. Its footprint covers over 560 square metres, with about 470 square metres of building area.