The Chairman's "Western Cave" where he lived in seclusion for 11 days

Dishui Cave is located in a valley 4 km west of Shaoshan Village. It is not a cave, but a narrow valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. The valley is deep and dark, like a cave, and a spring on the mountain drips down from the rocks, hence the name "Dishui Cave" (Dripping Water Cave). It was the Chairman's last residence in Shaoshan, and he called it the "Western Cave". The site was named "Project 203" and was kept strictly confidential. It was once very mysterious and few people knew about it. In the autumn of 1986, it was opened to the public with the approval of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government. It is now one of the best tourist destinations in Hunan Province and a national 5A-level tourist attraction. Building No. 1 in Dishui Cave is a national key cultural relic protection unit. In June 1959, Mao Zedong returned to his hometown after 32 years and swam in the Shaoshan Reservoir at the entrance of Dishui Cave. He casually said to Zhou Xiaozhou, Secretary of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee, "Xiaozhou, build a few thatched houses in this valley, and I will come to live here when I am old." Thus, the residence in Dishui Cave was built. In 1960, a bungalow villa was built in the style of Mao Zedong's residence in Zhongnanhai. In June 1966, Mao Zedong returned to Shaoshan for the last time. From June 18 to June 28, Chairman Mao Zedong lived in seclusion in Building No. 1 of Dishui Cave for 11 days. Building No. 1 is the main building in the courtyard. It is a bungalow with blue bricks and tiles, and has been converted into an exhibition room. It contains the office, bedroom, living room, and meeting room used by Chairman Mao Zedong when he lived here. A 100-meter-long air-raid shelter was built behind the villa. On one side of the cave, there are military facilities such as a shockproof room and a command room. At both ends of the cave, there are thick iron doors with automatic control, each weighing several tons. Even if an atomic bomb is detonated outside the cave, the command system and personnel inside the cave will remain safe. Building No. 2 in the courtyard is a two-story guesthouse with 24 rooms, where the central leaders stayed. It is connected to Building No. 1. Building No. 3 has three floors and is located at the foot of the mountain, not far from the cave entrance, about 600 meters from Building No. 1. It was the accommodation for the 8341 troops and the provincial reception staff. Today's Dishui Cave Scenic Area is large and divided into three parts: the villa hotel centered on Building No. 1; the Huxieping Scenic Area to the west, featuring Mao Zedong's ancestral tomb, tiger sculpture, tiger pavilion, and Dishui Qingyin; and the Longtoushan Scenic Area to the east, featuring Mao Zedong's great-grandparents' tomb, Longquan Sanjie, Benlongquan Pool, and Guanyin View. The mountain opposite Building No. 1 is called Longtoushan, where the Chairman's great-grandparents are buried. The place behind Building No. 1 is called Huyueping, where the Chairman's grandparents are buried. Dishui Cave is a sacred place where saints are born. In the entertainment room, the Chairman once played table tennis. Now, the "Chairman and Dishui Cave" exhibition is held here. The shockproof room has the "Dishui Cave, a Good Western Cave" exhibition. Building No. 2 has the "Mao Family History" exhibition and a cultural and creative product department, where tourists can rest and shop. Although Dishui Cave is far from the former residence, it is easily accessible by the scenic area shuttle bus.