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Changsha: Springboard to Fame


	Statue of Mao Zedong
	Photo: mke1963

Changsha has launched many to fame. Lady Dai was catapulted to international recognition in the 1970s when her Han dynasty tomb at Mawangdui in Changsha was discovered. The tomb not only yielded Lady Dai’s 2,200 year-old mummy, but also a silk banner depicting Lady Dai and her journey to the netherworld. The Mawangdui banner is one of the most beautiful and well-known examples of Han dynasty painting. Both mummy and banner are on view at the Hunan Provincial Museum in Changsha.

In this century, Changsha saw the start of the political career of Mao Zedong, the communist founder of the People’s Republic of China. The young Mao was born in a town 80 miles outside of Changsha and came to the city for his formative school years. Most recently, Changsha has become a center for television stations and programming. The most popular show in China, “Super Voice Girl,” in which fans vote for their favorite female crooner, is produced in Changsha. The city has become a popular weekend destination, known for its lively theater and entertainment. Perhaps it is not surprising: during the Warring States period (fifth to third centuries BCE) Changsha was in the state of Chu. Relics and legends from this period extol the people of Chu for their appreciation of lyric beauty, whether in poetry, song, or the arts. Perhaps this explains Mao Zedong’s considerable talent for writing classical poetry and calligraphy. From the Mawangdui banner, to Mao, to the modern day songstresses, Changsha has a touch for fame.